Khan’s spam attack on Goldsmith reveals double standards on foreign policy vow

It’s just a few weeks since Sadiq Khan vowed not to use the mayoralty “to offer commentary on foreign policy issues” but it seems the same promise doesn’t apply to his candidacy.

Yesterday he emailed dozens, hundreds, possibly even thousands of subscribers to his campaign newsletter with a tale of doom about Zac Goldsmith’s views on Europe.

Khan warned:

“If Zac Goldsmith gets his way then London will lose hundreds of thousands of jobs and millions of pounds of investment. Leaving Europe will diminish our influence in the region – we will turn our back on the partnership that has brought peace and stability across the region for decades.

“Londoners can’t afford an anti-European Mayor.”

And he went on to urge backers to spam Goldsmith with unsolicited emails slamming his desire “to leave the EU”.

So Sadiq apparently believes his own foreign policy views to be so irrelevant that he’d adopt a Trappist silence on them if elected Mayor, but those of a possible rival to be so serious that they should be a deciding factor in who Londoners vote for.

Some might think that’s a fairly blatant display of double standards, others might be even less generous and suggest Khan is guilty of old fashioned hypocrisy.

Khan’s email to supporters:

Dear Friend,

Firstly, let me thank you for your efforts throughout the general election campaign. I am profoundly grateful for all the work you put in trying to secure a Labour government. Although the results were far better in London than any other part of the country we still have a Conservative government.

We can’t allow the disappointment of May 7th to get in the way of what we do best – holding the Tories to account – starting afresh the campaign to win.

So today I am asking you to start that fightback by emailing Tory Mayoral hopeful Zac Goldsmith.

Zac Goldsmith wants the UK to leave the European Union. He says he’s a proud Eurosceptic.

If Zac Goldsmith gets his way then London will lose hundreds of thousands of jobs and millions of pounds of investment. Leaving Europe will diminish our influence in the region – we will turn our back on the partnership that has brought peace and stability across the region for decades.

Londoners can’t afford an anti-European Mayor.

I want Zac Goldsmith to know that Londoners won’t allow him to gamble away the livelihoods of so many Londoners recklessly – and I suspect you do too.

Today, we start the #SadiqvZac – who do you think is fit to run London?

Help me begin that by clicking on this link and send an email to Zac Goldsmith demanding that he protects Londoners by vowing to keep London at the heart of Europe.

Best wishes,

Sadiq Khan
@SadiqKhan

P.S. If you’d like to help my campaign for Mayor, or would like more information on my plans, click here.