Bookmakers Ladbrokes have made the Conservatives odds-on favourites to keep control of Hammersmith & Fulham council in next month's elections.
Labour needs to gain 11 seats to wrest back control that they last held in 2006, although the early money suggests they may fall just short. Leader Stephen Cowan said the party hopes to do just that by putting forward a people's manifesto as well as younger candidates and women.
However Ladbrokes head of politics, Matthew Shaddick said the early money suggests most punters believe the Tories will prevail at polling day, which is on May 22 this year.
He said: "We opened up with the Tories as narrow 4/6 favourites to stay in power, but political punters have been quick to snap those odds up. They are now only 4/7, with Labour at 7/4 to win a majority.
"This will be one of the most closely watched local election results in the whole country and could come down to a few votes in a couple of wards. We have even seen some money for a dead heat in terms of seats, which would lead to no party having overall control."
Hammersmith & Fulham 2014 Council Election
4/7 Conservative Control
7/4 Labour Control
10/1 No Overall Control
