London race close, poll suggests

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Conservative Boris Johnson and Labour rival Ken Livingstone are neck-and-neck in the race to be London mayor, an opinion poll suggests.

The Guardian/ICM survey found Mr Johnson on 42% of first-choice votes, compared with 41% for Mr Livingstone. Lib Dem Brian Paddick was third on 10%.

With the first and second choices of the sample of 1,002 adults counted, Mr Johnson got 51% and Mr Livingstone 49%.

An Evening Standard/YouGov poll last month gave Mr Johnson a 12-point lead.

There are 10 candidates for the mayoral election on 1 May.

THE TEN CANDIDATES Alan Craig Christian ChoiceBoris JohnsonConservativesBrian PaddickLiberal DemocratsGerard Batten UKIPKen Livingstone Labour Lindsey GermanLeft List partyMatt O'ConnorEnglish DemocratsRichard Barnbrook BNPSian Berry GreensWinston McKenzie Independent

The Greens, UK Independence Party, the British National Party, Christian Choice, Left List, English Democrats and one independent also got through the nominations process, which closed last week.

Mr Livingstone has been mayor since the job was created in 2000.

Telephone interviews for the Guardian/ICM poll were conducted from 28 March to 1 April.

There have been very few surveys of voters' opinion during the mayoral contest.

The most recent, a YouGov survey for the Evening Standard last month, suggested Mr Johnson had the support of 49% of London voters, with Mr Livingstone on 37% and Mr Paddick on 12%.