ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

Labour's David Lammy has surged into second place in the race to become the party’s candidate for London Mayor.

A YouGov poll published today shows that backing among Labour supporters for the Tottenham MP has crept ahead of former shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan.

Before Mr Lammy’s rise, Tooting MP Mr Khan was the main challenger to frontrunner Tessa Jowell. Her backing from Labour supporters remains solid in the new poll — at 37 per cent — and she has led the race since the series of polls began.

Nicola Wildash, YouGov research executive in political and social research, said: “Among Londoners, David Lammy has overtaken his rival Sadiq Khan to become Labour’s second choice as mayor. Khan, who has his eyes set on the top spot, will no doubt be disappointed by our latest poll.

“However, both Lammy and Khan are neck and neck in this race; anything could happen in the next few months.”

Mr Lammy was the first Labour candidate to enter the race at the end of last summer, but he struggled to stay in the running after big-hitters Ms Jowell, the former Olympics minister, and Mr Khan joined the contest.

The new poll, carried out between June 30 and July 2, reveals his backing from Labour supporters has risen from 15 per cent to 22 per cent, leapfrogging Mr Khan, whose support rose more slowly, from 19 per cent to 21 per cent.

Both men appear to have benefited from a sharp drop in support for the Hackney and Stoke Newington MP Diane Abbott. She won just 13 per cent backing from Labour supporters in the most recent poll, compared to a previous high of 23 percent.

A sense of urgency was injected into the Labour contest last month when Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith entered the race to be the Tory candidate.

There is around a month to go before the deadline passes for trade unions to affiliate their members, or for the public to sign up as registered supporters, to let them vote in the primary.

Voting papers will be sent out on August 14, with the ballot closing on September 10. The winner will be announced some time around the Labour party’s autumn conference, which starts on September 27.