Labour MPs facing tough battles to cling on to marginal seats are urging Sadiq Khan to bolster their campaigns.
The mayor masterminded Labour’s strong performance in the capital during the 2015 general election before winning the keys to City Hall last year. Now, with Jeremy Corbyn’s unpopularity, Labour MPs believe Khan is well placed to rally support for the party in London and beyond at the June 8 poll.
One said: “He is the most powerful Labour politician in the country. I look forward to campaigning alongside him.” Another backbencher added: “Sadiq will potentially be very helpful.” One Labour MP who asked Khan’s office for his support was told there have been many similar requests.
Writing in the Standard yesterday, the mayor said: “Over the last year I hope I have proved to Londoners what Labour can achieve in power.”
He listed action on fares, housing, police, homelessness, equality, jobs, growth and air quality.
The Tories are set to win dozens of Labour seats around Britain, according to polls. However, they appear most vulnerable in London and the South West to a LibDem revival.
The Conservatives will have their eyes firmly on a string of Labour seats in the capital including Ealing Central and Acton where Rupa Huq has a majority of 274, Brentford and Isleworth, won in 2015 by Ruth Cadbury by just 465 votes, and Hampstead and Kilburn where Tulip Siddiq’s majority is 1,138.
Labour’s Wes Streeting won Ilford North at the last general election by 589 votes, and colleague Joan Ryan won by 1,086 in Enfield North.
Demographic changes may make it harder for the Conservatives to win in these two outer London seats.
Former Labour minister Gareth Thomas also faces a fight to hold on to Harrow West, with his majority cut to 2,208 in 2015.
Former transport minister Karen Buck is defending a 1,977 majority in Westminster North. Shadow sports minister Rosena Allin-Khan won the Tooting  by-election, which was triggered by Khan becoming mayor, by a comfortable 6,357 in June last year. But in 2015 Khan’s majority was 2,842, down from 5,381 a decade earlier.
The Conservatives are braced for potential losses in south-west London to the LibDems, while Corbyn was campaigning in Croydon yesterday where housing minister Gavin Barwell holds Croydon Central by just 165.
Former LibDem business secretary Sir Vince Cable will be seeking to oust Conservative Tania Mathias, who won the Twickenham seat from him with a majority of 2,017. Ex-energy secretary Sir Edward Davey has to overturn a 2,834 majority to win back Kingston and Surbiton from Tory James Berry.
Conservative Paul Scully is likely to face an easier battle to retain Sutton and Cheam, as former LibDem MP Paul Burstow is not standing again.