London votes: London awaits results of mayoral and Greater London Authority elections
Counting got under way in London’s mayoral and Greater London Authority elections last night – although results are unlikely to be announced until late this afternoon or this evening.
The last opinion polls were forecasting a win for Labour’s Sadiq Khan over his Tory rival Zac Goldsmith in the mayoral race – in what is likely to be one of the few bright spots for the opposition party.
Elections also took place for the parliament in Scotland, the Welsh and Northern Ireland Assemblies and more than 120 councils in England.
In a bid at damage limitation, shadow chancellor John McDonnell told Sky News that if Labour could reduce the 6.3 per cent margin by which the Conservatives won the 2015 General Election they would “demonstrate steady progress”.
He said the aim was to “steadily build our support” over four years. But he admitted conditions remained “tough” for Labour in Scotland.
Meanwhile, it emerged that shadow home secretary Andy Burnham – a Liverpudlian – is mulling a bid to become mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017.