Sadiq Khan questions whether London security services are prepared for 'Mumbai-style' terror attack

Labour's mayoral hopeful says he will review the city's police, fire and security services if elected next month

Sadiq Khan has said he "needs to be reassured" about London's responsiveness in case of emergency (Reuters)

London Mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan has questioned whether the capital’s security services are adequately prepared for a "Mumbai-style" terror attack.

The Labour candidate said if elected on 5 May he intended to review the police, fire and security services to make sure the city was “ready”.

In 2008, members of a Pakistani militant group killed more than 160 people in shootings and bombings in India's largest city over a period of four days.

Speaking at a BBC hustings event with four other candidates, Mr Khan asked: "If there was a Mumbai-style attack in London, are there sufficient armed response units at the moment?

"I want reassurance that we are ready. If you've closed down 10 fire stations, there are 30 more fire engines being lost from London, half of London's firefighters live outside London - I worry about London's security.

"I need to be reassured as the mayor of London that we are all going to be safe.

"I'm not reassured yet — I want to be reassured."

People light candles as they pay tribute to the victims of the Mumbai terror in 2008 (Getty)

His rival, Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith, also set out his position on security by saying he would retain London Metropolitan Police numbers at 32,000 and put an additional 5,000 transport police officers on the London Underground.

The pair locked horns over Mr Goldsmith’s comments that Mr Khan was “giving oxygen and cover to extremists” by sharing a platform with them.

Mr Khan defended himself from Mr Goldsmith's claims, saying he had been a victim of extremism himself.

Mr Goldsmith also hit back at suggestions that he or his campaign team had actually labelled his Labour rival personally as an "extremist".

The Tory MP said: "My campaign has been overwhelmingly positive.

"I have made it very, very clear that I have never suggested that Sadiq Khan was an extremist in any way at all.

"The point I have made, and Londoners have made and the newspapers have made on a regular basis is that Sadiq Khan has given platforms and oxygen and even cover to people who are extremist and I think that is dangerous."

Additional reporting by PA