Sadiq Khan has been accused of ‘swanning about in luxury’ after it emerged he held his birthday bash on the £268 million luxury vessel of a foreign billionaire.
The Mayor of London partied on the 122-metre superyacht, Kismet, owned by sports magnate Shahid Khan, in central London.
One of the most luxurious yachts in the world, it boasts a helipad, onboard nightclub, full-service spa, and swimming pool. It was designed in Germany by Lürssen Yachts and is adorned with a sculpted jaguar on the bow, a nod to its owner’s Jacksonville Jaguars NFL team.
But critics of the Mayor have said the party was in poor taste, with Neil Garratt, a Conservative assembly member saying that Londoners where “watching our economy being washed away under Labour’s disastrous handling of our finances, and the cost of living biting hard as we head into winter” whislt the Mayor was “rubbing shoulders with billionaires on yachts”.
Mr Garratt added that “It’s always the same with socialism – the party officials swan about in luxury whilst the workers they claim to represent have their lives made worse. Has he no shame? And what does his billionaire mate expect in return?”
Shahid Khan, 75, is worth an estimated $13.3billion (£10.9billion) and also owns Fulham Football Club, whose Craven Cottage stadium sits just along the River Thames
A spokesperson for the Mayor said: “Sadiq attended a private event hosted by Shad, who is a friend,” and confirmed that any hospitality received will be transparently declared.
The yacht is expected to remain moored near London Bridge, just a short stroll from the Mayor’s former City Hall base, nicknamed the “Glass Onion”, now under refurbishment following the office’s move downriver to The Crystal in Royal Victoria Dock.
Mr Khan’s appearance on one of the world’s most extravagant superyachts has drawn attention from City Hall critics, with one insider suggesting it was inappropriate.
However, the Mayor’s allies insist the event was a private gathering and point out that the Mayor has long supported London’s role as a global sporting capital, a cause he shares with the billionaire host.
Mr Khan has publicly championed the NFL’s presence in London, backing regular fixtures at Wembley Stadium. He has even called for the Super Bowl to be hosted in the capital, saying it would solidify London as the sports capital of the world.
Shahid Khan’s Jaguars are set to face the Los Angeles Rams at Wembley on Saturday, October 19, with tickets starting at £90.