Zac Goldsmith: 'The London Living Wage will not happen under Sadiq Khan'

Tory mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith has hit back at Sadiq Khan after being criticised for "not supporting London's business economy".

London Mayoral candidate, Sadiq Khan, today called for the London Living Wage to take into account the high cost of housing in the capital.

According to the Labour candidate, housing costs only play a small part of the complex formula used to calculate the Living Wage, which at the moment is £9.40 per hour in London, and £8.25 in the rest of the UK.

If housing costs, one of the major causes of in-work poverty in the capital, is reflected in the future, he claims the London Living Wage rate is likely to rise to around £10 or more.

Mr Khan criticised the Tory candidate for "not supporting London’s business community" and not having the “experience, the values or the vision to deliver higher productivity for London.”

Mr Goldsmith hit back, however, claiming that his Labour counterpart has "no record of working with others".

A spokesperson for Mr Goldsmith said: "Zac Goldsmith is a firm believer in the London Living Wage as a way to secure and widen London's prosperity so that it benefits all Londoners.

“To do this Zac will work with businesses to ensure that it can be delivered without harming London's hard fought-for competitiveness.

“The London Living Wage will not happen under Sadiq Khan as he has no record of working with others and was nominated by the most anti-business Labour Party we have ever seen."

Mr Khan made the call in a keynote speech to the Resolution Foundation think tank about low pay and the cost-of-living in the capital.

He also set out plans to tackle low pay and in-work poverty by working in partnership with business to boost productivity.

In his first speech on London’s economy, Mr Khan spoke of how, despite their modest income, his parents were able to buy a home.

"Today the experience of the bus driver, the retail assistant, the waiter or waitress is very different.

"And there is a real risk that their children won’t get the opportunities I had to share in London’s success."