London mayoral election: Zac Goldsmith pledges 500,000 new jobs

Conservative candidate for London mayor Zac Goldsmith has pledged to bring 500,000 jobs to the capital if elected.

Launching his manifesto in Wimbledon, south London, Mr Goldsmith said investing in infrastructure and business would help provide new jobs.

He said he was "determined that all Londoners should enjoy our city's success".

Labour candidate Sadiq Khan responded by saying his rival was "devoid of ideas".

Mr Goldsmith's manifesto outlines that more jobs could be created through house-building and transport projects such as Crossrail 2 and extensions to the Northern, Bakerloo and Overground lines.

He has already committed to overseeing the building of 50,000 homes a year and freezing council tax if elected.

'Extremism' row heats up

Zac Goldsmith and Sadiq Khan went head to head in a debate on Tuesday night

By BBC Radio London Political Reporter Susana Mendonca

Zac Goldsmith and Sadiq Khan took part in a debate on Tuesday evening run by the City AM newspaper and think tank the Institute of Directors, where proceedings were dominated by a row over the tone of the campaign so far.

Mr Khan began by saying he was been "disappointed" with the strategy used by his opponent.

He went on to say the Conservative MP was "a good man" who had been led into a negative campaign by his team.

But Mr Goldsmith fought back, telling him: "I have never referred to you by your religion...faith is irrelevant."

He insisted it was right that people should ask questions about links to extremists and asking questions does not make people racist.

At the manifesto launch in Wimbledon he told the audience: "Under Boris we have recovered from Labour's recession, and my action plan for Greater London will build on that success and secure half a million more jobs for Londoners.

"You can only deal with transport congestion, build houses and improve London if you keep the economy strong."

'Divisive'

The Conservative candidate also warned voters about what he called Mr Khan's "ambiguity" on security issues.

He accused the Labour MP of "giving platforms... to those who seek to do our police and capital harm" and of "trying to silence questions about his links by shamelessly accusing anyone who raises them of being islamophobic".

Mr Khan condemned Mr Goldsmith's campaign as "divisive", claiming he had attempted to promote division on the basis of faith and ethnicity.

Find out who is standing in the London elections.