General election poll: Jeremy Corbyn surges ahead of Theresa May in London

The YouGov survey shows Labour surging to a 17 point lead in the UK's capital

Jeremy Corbyn is now London's favourite candidate for Prime Minister, according to a newly released poll.

The YouGov survey for the Evening Standard sees Mr Corbyn overtake Theresa May as the preferred choice to lead the country among Londoners.

The poll also points to a broader Labour surge in the capital - boosted in large part by young voters - giving Mr Corbyn's party a 17 point lead over the Tories and potentially condemning a handful of London Conservatives to defeat.

It comes after a string of national polls have indicated that the huge lead the Conservatives had at the start of the election is slowly crumbling, while seat projections have pointed to a hung parliament.

As the poll was published Ms May was giving a speech on Brexit, in a bid to refocus the election on her strongest area of policy and get her campaign on track.

Asked by YouGov who would make the best Prime Minister, 37 per cent picked Mr Corbyn and 34 per cent Ms May. A survey taken just after the manifesto launches last month had Ms May ahead by 38 to 32.

On voting intention, Labour now stands on 50 per cent, up from 41 per cent a month ago, according to the new poll. The Tories are on 33 per cent, down from 36 per cent last month.

In March, as Theresa May enjoyed popularity in the run up to triggering Article 50, the parties were just three points apart in the capital, with Labour on 37 per cent and the Conservatives on 34.

Labour’s surge reflects YouGov’s belief that young people will vote in greater numbers at this election, with other pollsters giving more weight to previous elections which saw younger people who promised to vote failing to.

Among those London Conservatives most vulnerable in the light of the poll are Housing Minister Gavin Barwell and Tania Mathias could well be replaced by a returning Sir Vince Cable.

The poll also eases the pressure on sitting Labour candidates who feared losing the seats they held in the last parliament, like Ilford North's Wes Streeting and Hampstead and Kilburn's Tulip Siddiq.

A national poll published on Thursday showed that across the country the Conservative poll lead has shrunk to jus three points, with the Conservatives on 42 points but Labour are close behind on 39.

The damaging decision to U-turn on her social care policy just days after it appeared in the Tory manifesto is at the heart of Ms May's problems, having led to questions over her claim to be the “strong and stable” option.

It also preceded a YouGov seat-by-seat projection published by The Times suggesting the election will result in a hung parliament.