Zac Goldsmith accuses Sadiq Khan of 'giving platform and oxygen' to extremists

Mr Khan has admitted he represented some “unsavoury individuals” as a human rights lawyer before becoming an MP but said that came with the job.

But Mr Goldsmith said: “To share a platform nine times with Suliman Gani, one of the most repellent figures in this country, you don’t do it by accident.”

Mr Gani has reportedly called women “subservient” to men and condemned homosexuality. In 2014 he spoke at a rally arranged to condemn Government “bully tactics” for having “targeted” Muslims travelling to Syria.

Mr Goldsmith criticised Mr Khan for defending speakers at a 2006 protest against the publication of cartoons of the prophet Mohammed — including Dr Azam Tamimi, who said on TV: “Fire will be throughout the world if they don’t stop.” Tooting MP Mr Khan said later: “Speakers can get carried away but they are just flowery words.”

The Tory candidate said it was “just weird” that Mr Khan spoke up for Yusuf al-Qaradawi — who reportedly supported Hamas suicide bombings — at a Commons committee meeting.

And he claimed Mr Khan had spoken up for extremists who called for Jews to be driven into the sea.

“It’s not flowery language — not if you are an Israeli Jew or a British Jew or a French Jew facing a frightening rise in anti-Semitism,” he said.

Labour MP Louise Ellman, who has warned against anti-Semitism being tolerated, condemned Dr Tamimi in a 2003 Parliament debate, saying: “He told a conference in Vienna that after Israel is destroyed and replaced with an Islamic state, the Jews should ‘sail on the sea in ships back to where they came or drown in it’.”

Mr Goldsmith insisted: “To be clear, I have never suggested he is an extremist but without a shadow of doubt he has given platform, oxygen and cover to people who are extremists.

“He has said some great things in the last few months. He wants to be the Muslim to take the fight to extremists. Who can argue with that? But he cannot escape his record.”

A spokesman for Mr Khan responded: “This is horribly desperate stuff from a Tory campaign that is clearly losing.

“Sadiq has spent his whole life fighting extremism and has faced death threats as a result. Yvette Cooper spoke for many when she said that what started as a subtle dog-whistle has become a full-blown racist scream.

“She described it as the campaign equivalent of pointing at Sadiq and shouting, ‘Don’t vote for him, he’s a Muslim’ — a nasty approach straight from the Lynton Crosby playbook. Sadiq will continue to focus on the crucial job of keeping Londoners safe.”

Mr Khan last night said he was “disappointed” by the tone of the Goldsmith campaign, adding: “I’m sorry he is allowing those running his campaign to lock away the real Zac Goldsmith and put forward this person that I don’t recognise.”