Boris Johnson has...gagged himself and Transport for London from criticising the Emirati government or Royal Family in connection with his Thames cable car...The contract with Emirates airline...also showed that TfL agreed to abide by UAE foreign policy when entering into contracts and partnerships relating to the Thames Cable Car while the deal is in place. That means a ban on future sales to any entity with which the UAE does not have diplomatic relations - a ban on deals with Israel. TfL said that the contract does not ban expressions of opinion and said it was standard for a sponsor to expect that it would not sell the cable car on to someone else that contradicts the commercial interests of Emirates...Emirates has declined to comment...The Emirates Centre for Human Rights, which lobbies for reform in the UAE, called the clause "astonishing".