Sadiq Khan has built his platform on climate campaigning - no wonder critics are furious about his air miles, analysis by Millie Cooke

Sadiq Khan has built his platform on climate campaigning - no wonder critics are furious about his air miles, analysis by Millie Cooke
Millie Cooke

By Millie Cooke


Published: 11/01/2024

- 16:08

Given how much of his time Khan spends endorsing pro-climate policies, it makes it far too easy for sceptics to accuse him of 'virtue signalling'

The London Mayor has found himself under fire once again after it was revealed that he and his team racked up 80,000 air miles last year. That's a total of 440,000 miles since he was elected in 2016.

As one helpful Conservative Party source pointed out, the moon is 240,000 miles away. If the mayor takes just a few more flights before the mayoral election in May, he could technically fly to the moon and back with his air miles - or at least that's what his critics would point out.


Given how much of his time, energy and political capital Khan spends endorsing pro-climate policies, it makes it far too easy for sceptics to jump on these latest figures to accuse the Mayor of virtue signalling.

Just yesterday, City Hall Conservatives environmental spokesperson Tony Devenish did just that, dubbing the Mayor the "ultimate virtue signaller". He claimed the Mayor is failing to practice what he preaches when it comes to the environment.

Sadiq Khan

The London Mayor has found himself under fire once again, after it was revealed that he and his team racked up 80,000 air miles last year

PA

It's not a hard claim to level, given Khan has in the past encouraged Britons to fly less.

Asked about the use of private jets in May 2023, Khan issued a warning about the aviation industry as a whole. He said: "We are in a climate emergency and people are more aware of the need to consider the flights they take and opt for low-carbon alternatives if they can.

"Every sector of the economy must cut its emissions if climate catastrophe is to be averted.

"Aviation is no exception, in fact it is high-emitting sectors like this that must be making the biggest changes."

With comments like this to his name, it's not a great look when members of your team are taking the 20,000-mile round trip to Australia for just a two-day forum.

And the more frustration there is over environmental schemes such as the controversial expansion of Ulez, the harder it will be for onlookers to stomach any form of double standard when it comes to the planet.

Khan's team have argued that the Mayor is using these flights and trips for the greater good. They have pointed out that the Mayor has used many of these trips to promote action on the climate emergency.

They said he uses the trips to "lead critical discussions on the direct action major cities can take to help tackle the climate crisis", as well as "banging the drum for the capital overseas to promote growth and to generate new trade".

They also pointed out that his predecessor, Boris Johnson took 34 trips by plane during his two terms in office. The current mayor has taken just eleven.

Clearly, Khan is making some effort to be more environmentally conscious than those who have come before him.

But for viewers at home - especially those negatively impacted by environmental policies like Ulez - it may well be beside the point.

And it leaves one key question in the forefront of the public's mind: "Couldn't that have been done over Zoom?"

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