Sadiq Khan: London mayor cleared over United Airlines deal

Sadiq Khan visited a cannabis farm in Los Angeles during the trade mission

Sadiq Khan has been cleared over a complaint made against him about a deal struck by his office to promote an airline in exchange for business-class flights for a trade mission to the US.

The mayor of London was accused of a lack of integrity and openness over the arrangements made with United Airlines.

He visited New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles in May 2022 and was accompanied by eight officials from City Hall on the five-day mission.

The trip cost a total of £34,263.

Ground transport made up the biggest part of the cost, at £21,108, a request under the Freedom of Information Act revealed.

The business-class flights were provided by United Airlines, with only taxes and fees of £2,802 payable by City Hall.

The airline was to receive several "promotional opportunities" in exchange.

• 'Who's this guy?' Sadiq Khan sticks to script in the US

• London mayor's US trip cost taxpayer £35,000

It was revealed at Mayor's Question Time on Thursday that the complaint raised with City Hall's monitoring officer was not being taken further.

Caroline Russell, a Green assembly member who filed the complaint, said she had been told by the officer "there is not a case to answer".

On what was a breakneck tour of the USA, Sadiq Khan travelled thousands of miles and visited three major cities

She said that a further aspect of the complaint - that the mayor had failed to correctly declare the benefits of the agreement - had been informally resolved.

Mr Khan has since made a declaration of the agreement in the gifts and hospitality register.

During the trip, Mr Khan sought to boost tourism in London, develop links with technology firms and encourage further investment in the UK from the US film industry.

When he was in the US, he announced a new London Drugs Commission would look at whether cannabis should be decriminalised in Britain.

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