TV showdown sees Johnson and Khan exchange 'project fear' and 'project hate' jibes

The former London mayor described the gap in pay between leading company executives and those on the shop floor as “wrong”.

But his claims were ridiculed by Remain as his successor, Sadiq Khan, accused Leave of mounting “project hate” by focusing its campaign on immigration.

A 6,000 strong audience at Wembley Arena cheered and booed as politicians from both sides exchanged salvos in the BBC‘s live debate tonight.

Mr Johnson and Mr Khan repeatedly clashed during the evening, with Mr Khan accusing Mr Johnson of telling “one lie after another after another” while Mr Johnson claimed Remain could only offer “project fear”.

Mr Johnson pointed to comments from former Marks and Spencer chief executive Lord Stuart Rose, chairman of the official Remain campaign, suggesting leaving the EU and restrictions on immigration could lead to a rise in wages for the low skilled.

He said: “In my view, as a Conservative, and I am a proud Conservative and a believer in free markets, I think the differentials inincome in our country have become too great and I think it is wrong FTSE 100 chiefs are now earning 150 times the average pay of people on the shop floor.

“It would be a fine thing, as Lord Rose says, if people on low incomes got a pay rise as a result of us taking back control of our country and our system.”

Mr Johnson was joined making the case for Leave by Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom and Labour MP Gisela Stuart while alongside Mr Khan were Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson and TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady.

The evening saw the panellists representing Leave claiming Britain could enjoy a brighter future outside the European Union but those backing Remain claiming those advocating Brexit could not answer important questions about life after the EU.

Ms Davidson said: “You’re going to be asked to vote in two days time and all you’ve heard tonight is ‘trust us and it will all be fine’ and that’s not good enough.

“They won’t tell us how much the economy will be hit by, they won’t tell us how many jobs might go, they won’t tell us what they will replace the single market with.

“And I’m sorry, if you vote on Thursday you cannot change your mind on Friday, If we vote to come out of the biggest free trade block anywhere in the world there will be tariffs put on British businesses. That will affect our ability to trade abroad.”

While the evening largely saw the two sides sticking to lines of argument well-rehearsed over weeks of campaigning, the debate did see Leave put on the spot over its promises on immigration.

Mrs O’Grady accused the Leave side of perpertrating a “con” on voters because they were not actually promising to reduce numbers.

Responding Mrs Stuart insisted an Australian-style points-based system would allow the UK to decide who should come to this country.

At one point, Mr Khan argued leaving the EU was “not the answer” to the immigration issue. Mrs Stuart hit back: “Yes it is.”

Jeremy Paxman will host a debate on Channel 4 tomorrow.