Johnson kicks off by pledging 200,000 jobs

Boris Johnson today said 200,000 jobs will be created if he is re-elected and claimed that Ken Livingstone would put the capital’s economy at risk if he won the battle for City Hall.

As the official election campaign kicked off today, Mr Johnson put the economy at the top of his agenda and said: “What Londoners need, above all, are jobs.” He was speaking in the all-important borough of Bexley. Both candidates are bidding to win over voters in the outer London “doughnut” with 44 days until the election.

The Mayor said 32,300 jobs will be created as a result of transport investment projects, including Crossrail and the Tube upgrade programme. He also said he would create 104,000 jobs after being given new powers over London’s housing by the Government.

The rest will come from schemes in the Greenwich Peninsula and Royal Docks, jobs created after the Olympics as well as a “part-time jobs campaign” to get people back into work.

Mr Livingstone today said that employment in London was falling and accused Mr Johnson of trying to “run away from his record”.

The Mayor said: “What Londoners need, above all, are jobs. Because that’s the real answer to the rising cost of living and the uncertainty we all face. We will directly create 200,000 jobs for Londoners. We will deliver this by investing.”