Candidates: quit Iraq

The front-runners in the race to be Mayor of London have called for an immediate withdrawal of British troops from Iraq. Labour's Ken Livingstone and Conservative Steve Norris have both defied their party leadership by demanding UK armed forces come home.

Mr Norris said: "I believe we were wrong to have gone to war in the first place and that we should now make a firm commitment to withdraw our troops at the earliest possible date."

Mr Livingstone said: "I'm worried about the safety of our boys and girls. That's why I want to bring them home."

Their declarations came as a row broke out over Mr Norris's failure to attend a public debate on the Iraq war to save campaign funds.

Under strict rules on election expenditure, candidates have to forfeit the nominal-sum of about £1,000 each time they speak at a public event.

This is deducted from the £420,000 they can spend during the five-week race. Mr Norris wanted to spend the money on posters focusing on crime and transport instead.

However he has abandoned plans to boycott a second hustings meeting tonight, in which the candidates will discuss planning and architecture.

Mr Livingstone, who did address the CND peace hustings last night, questioned how serious Mr Norris was over the Iraq issue. "Though Steve Norris is saying he is against the war, I didn't see him at any of the marches," he said.