The London Mayoral race is on a knife-edge with a poll suggesting there is a single point between the front runners.
Research for the
Sunday Times put Ken Livingstone narrowly ahead of Tory rival Boris Johnson, on 45 per cent and 44 per cent, respectively.
The Lib Dem hopeful, former Met deputy assistant commissioner Brian Paddick, was a distant third on 9 per cent.
The findings provide more evidence that the Labour incumbent is gaining momentum, after one survey last month showed him trailing by 13 points.
Mr Livingstone was rated as a stronger leader by 52 per cent, compared to 28 per cent who backed Mr Johnson.
However, voters regarded the Conservative candidate as more likely to crack down on crime, by a margin of 38 per cent to 32 per cent.
When second preferences were taken into account and other candidates eliminated the research indicated that Mr Livingstone and Mr Johnson were in a dead heat on 50 per cent each.