Boris strengthens his position

Excellent news for the Spectator’s mayoral candidate in today’s Standard. A YouGovStone poll of 533 influential Londoners shows Boris well ahead of Ken on voting intention (44 to Livingstone’s 38), and with a narrower lead as the candidate who “will do most to enhance London’s reputation”. Boris trails Ken on the issue of trustworthiness in the event of another terror attack and has some work to do with second preference votes (interestingly, Sian Berry, the Green candidate, leads on this question). But it is clear that Boris can win.

Tonight is a big night in the mayoral contest: Martin Bright’s Dispatches programme on Ken airs at 8pm on Channel 4, and Boris faces a panel of Londoners, at an event organised by the Standard. One can only hope it is more revealing than the dismal ITV debate on January 10 which did the candidates and the viewing public no favours at all.