The FT reports that Ken Livingstone has held talks with official Labour candidate Nicky Gavron on plans for her to step aside if the London mayor is readmitted to the party.

Gavron said yesterday that her "absolute priority is to reunite the Labour vote in London".

But Livingstone's readmission has to be approved by Labour's national executive committee where some leading figures such as John Prescott are believed to be sceptical about the move.