Bookmakers Anticipate Corbyn’s High Chance of Winning as Doubts Surround Khan’s 2024 Candidacy
Jeremy Corbyn, former Labour leader, is now widely anticipated to become the successor to Sadiq Khan as the Mayor of London in the forthcoming 2024 elections.
This development emerges in light of mounting speculation that the current Mayor, Khan, may not seek re-election.
Recent discussions have raised questions about Khan’s plans to participate in the upcoming elections, possibly providing an opening for Corbyn to secure the position as an independent candidate.
Despite Corbyn losing the Labour whip in 2020 and facing a ban from representing the party in the upcoming general elections, bookmakers project him to have an upper hand over other Labour or Conservative hopefuls.
“It still looks like Sadiq Khan will win the London Mayoral election race, but Jeremy Corbyn is slowly closing the gap on the favourite, and if Khan is to pull out, the latest odds suggest the former Labour leader will get the gig,” said Alex Apati of Ladbrokes.
While Khan currently holds the top spot with 1/4 odds, Corbyn is gaining momentum with an 8/1 chance of securing the City Hall according to Ladbrokes. Betfair similarly projects a close contest between Khan and Corbyn for the mayoral position with odds of 1/3 for the incumbent and 8/1 for the ex-Labour leader.
Last year, Huff Post reported that Corbyn’s allies have been encouraging him to contest the London Mayoral elections to bolster his political influence. However, Corbyn has yet to make a public announcement regarding his political intentions.
If Corbyn decides against the Mayoral race, he may choose to run independently in his constituency of Islington North, a position he has held since 1983.
Khan’s approval ratings have been on a downward trend with critics attributing this fall to the expansion of the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ).
Housing issues in London have also come under the scanner, leading to additional criticism towards Khan who claimed that approximately 30,000 long-term homes remain vacant amidst the ongoing housing crisis.
According to a YouGov poll, Khan’s popularity has dropped from 31 percent in 2020 to just 22 percent presently, raising concerns about Labour’s ability to retain the position in the forthcoming election.
The London mayoral election is scheduled for May 2, 2024. Khan remains Labour’s chosen candidate, with Zoë Garbett representing the Greens. Conservatives and Lib Dems have yet to disclose their candidates for the election.
