Labour confident Sadiq Khan will beat Zac Goldsmith in London mayoral election

Win in capital will 'vindicate' Jeremy Corbyn, party claims

Labour's London Mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan and member of Parliament for Tooting walks through East Street Market in Walworth on May 4, 2016 in London (Photo by Rob Stothard/Getty Images)

Senior Labour members have voiced their confidence that Sadiq Khan will triumph in London's mayoral election.

The party's candidate has consistently held a solid lead over Conservative rival Zac Goldsmith, who is perceived to have suffered from running a negative campaign that controversially sought to link Mr Khan to extremism.

And shadow chancellor John McDonnell set the Labour Party on the right path for success in the General Election in four years time.

"Labour has fought a strong campaign, working hard for every vote, standing up for working people who have been let down by the Tory party," he said.

"If we can narrow that gap, we will demonstrate steady progress.

"What we are looking to do is build over the next four years so that we steadily, steadily build our support and then we are ready for 2020."

Shadow international development secretary Diane Abbott said a win for Mr Khan would be a vindication of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership. She told The Guardian that in London "more people have heard of Jeremy than have heard of Sadiq. In London it's all about Jeremy."

Mr Khan is expected to win the race, out-polling Conservative candidate Mr Goldsmith throughout the campaign.

A final poll by the London Evening Standard released on Thursday indicated Mr Khan would win by a clear 57-to-43 margin.