London Mayoral hopeful Sadiq Khan spoke at a political meeting in an Islamic centre where women were told to use a separate entrance, it has been revealed.

Although both sexes were welcome at the event held at the Tooting Islamic Centre the invitation said “Ladies entrance on Lessingham Avenue next to the Snooker Club”,.

The Labour candidate spoke at a talk about the Palestinian conflict in 2004 alongside a Hamas supporter, a preacher who backed an Islamic state, an activist who has threatened "fire throughout the world", a man who led a boycott of Holocaust Memorial Day in 2005 and a Muslim leader who called for attacks on the British Royal Navy if it blocked arms smuggling in Gaza.

Also on the platform was a controversial vicar, Rev Dr Stephen Sizer, who was forbidden by the Church of England from using any social media for six months in 2015 after he used it to spout conspiracy theories that Israel was responsible for 9/11.

Mr Khan, who was Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Tooting at the time, said he attended the event in his capacity “as a human rights lawyer”,the London Evening Standard reports.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who was a backbench MP at the time, was also listed as a speaker on the flyer but his office has said he did not attend.

The three-hour conference, called “Palestine - the suffering still goes on” was organised by an NGO called Friends of Al-Aqsa, which was one of 25 pro-Palestinian organisations that had their bank accounts closed by the Co-op Bank in January “without explanation”.

It comes after Mr Khan’s rival, Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith, has been criticised over comments saying the Labour MP gives “platform, cover and oxygen to extremists”.

Mayor of London 2016 - the candidates at a glance Show all 7 1 /7 Mayor of London 2016 - the candidates at a glance Mayor of London 2016 - the candidates at a glance Sadiq Khan - Labour The MP for Tooting, Sadiq Khan says the mayoral election will be a 'referendum on the Tory housing crisis'. He has also pledged to freeze fares until 2020. Son of a bus driver, and doesn't let anyone forget it. His Conservative opponent has made claims about people who he has previously associated with - but attacks so far have failed to stick Mayor of London 2016 - the candidates at a glance Zac Goldsmith - Conservative The MP for Richmond, Zac Goldsmith is a longstanding campaigner against the expansion of Heathrow airport. Despite his environment credentials - he once edited The Ecologist magazine - the Tory candidate has said he would 'rip out' Boris Johnson's cycle lanes if they don't work. A very wealthy man, his campaign has been dogged by accusations of racism against Sadiq Khan Mayor of London 2016 - the candidates at a glance Sian Berry - Green Party A councillor in the London Borough of Camden, Sian Berry is campaigning on improving homes for renters, cleaning up London's air pollution, and flattening fare zones to help Londoners. She previously ran as the party's mayoral candidate in 2008. In 2012, the Green Party came in third place Mayor of London 2016 - the candidates at a glance Caroline Pidgeon - Liberal Democrat A Liberal Democrat London Assembly member for eight years, Caroline Pidgeon has a strong record on the Assembly's transport committee standing up for commuters and cyclists alike. She wants to set up a £2 billion housing investment fund and make all the capital's buses zero emission Mayor of London 2016 - the candidates at a glance Peter Whittle - UKIP UKIP hasn't fared so well in London in previous elections, but is hoping for a breakthrough this time. Peter Whittle has been UKIP's culture spokesperson for two years. He tends to focus on the impact of immigration on London's housing crisis Mayor of London 2016 - the candidates at a glance George Galloway - RESPECT George Galloway has made a habit of defying the odds and pulling off stunning victories when standing for Parliament. His campaign - based on the slogan 'a London for all' has so far failed to make headway in the polls - has his luck run out? Mayor of London 2016 - the candidates at a glance Sophie Walker - Women's Equality Party A journalist, Sophie Walker is campaigning for the little-known Women's Equality Party. She is pledging to make 'equality and diversity the fuel that drives our nation's capital' with measures to increase women's representation in enterprise, more affordable homes and flexible childcare

Mr Goldsmith has dismissed an accusation by Labour’s Yvette Cooper that he is running a “dog-whistle racism” campaign against Mr Khan who is currently 20 points ahead of him in the polls.

He told the Huffington Post it was “an absurd thing to say” and he had been running an “overwhelmingly positive campaign”.

A spokesperson for Mr Khan told the Standard: “Sadiq would always prefer men and women not to be separated at events he attends, but he respects the freedom of Londoners’ faiths. Politicians from all parties attend events at temples, synagogues, gurdwaras and mosques where men and women sit separately.