London

Government

Greater London is divided into the 32 London boroughs and the City of London. The boroughs are the most important unit of local government in London, and are responsible for running most local services in their respective areas. The City of London is run not by a conventional local authority, but by the historical Corporation of London.

Related Topics:
Greater London - London borough - City of London - Corporation of London

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The Greater London Authority (GLA) is the London-wide body responsible for co-ordinating the boroughs, strategic planning, and running some London-wide services such as policing, the fire service and transport. The GLA consists of the Mayor of London and the London Assembly. The mayor is elected by the Supplementary Vote system while the assembly is elected by the Additional Member System.

Related Topics:
Greater London Authority - Policing - Fire service - Transport - Mayor of London - London Assembly - Supplementary Vote - Additional Member System

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The incumbent Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, was elected as an independent candidate in the 2000 election. Despite opposition from all the main political parties and the press, his popularity with Londoners has remained high. Livingstone was expelled from the Labour Party when he opposed the official Labour candidate Frank Dobson in the 2000 Mayoral election. Readmitted by that party in 2004, he was re-elected as Mayor as an official Labour candidate in the election later that year.

Related Topics:
Ken Livingstone - 2000 election - Labour Party - Frank Dobson - Election

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The GLA was created in 2000 as a replacement body for the former Greater London Council (GLC) which was created in 1965 and abolished in 1986 after political disputes between the GLC (then led by Ken Livingstone) and the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher.

Related Topics:
2000 - Greater London Council - 1965 - 1986 - Ken Livingstone - Conservative - Margaret Thatcher

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Previous London wide administrative bodies were the Metropolitan Board of Works (MBW) from 1855 to 1889; the London County Council (LCC) from 1889 to 1965; and the Greater London Council (GLC) from 1965 to 1986. When the GLC was abolished, most of its functions were devolved to the London boroughs, while others were taken over by joint-boards or other unelected bodies. The boroughs thus enjoyed "unitary status" and a degree of autonomy when the GLC was abolished, and although losing some powers which have been repatriated to the GLA they still retain many areas they did not control under the GLC.

Related Topics:
Metropolitan Board of Works - London County Council - Greater London Council - Joint-boards - "unitary status"

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London is represented in Parliament by 74 MPs. For a list of London constituencies see List of Parliamentary constituencies in Greater London.

Related Topics:
Parliament - MPs - List of Parliamentary constituencies in Greater London

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The territorial police force for the 32 London boroughs is the Metropolitan Police Service, more commonly referred to as the Metropolitan Police, or simply "the Met". The City of London has its own police force, the City of London Police.

Related Topics:
Metropolitan Police Service - City of London Police

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Health services in London are managed by the national government via the National Health Service (NHS). Greater London is divided into five Strategic Health Authorities http://www.nhs.uk/england/authoritiestrusts/sha/MapSearch.aspx?rg=Y21.

Related Topics:
National Health Service - Strategic Health Authorities

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