111–120 of 126 posts
City of London is a separate legal entity to England but still under the king. Hence all the banking industry is located there, to add another step in the money train to tax heavens.
Not true. You're probably thinking of something like the Isle of Mann, or the Channel Islands, or arguably all of Canada or Australia.
The City of London is part of England.
Some beautiful old Roman buildings around near Threadneedle. There always seems to be some construction work going on around there though.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Something else that a lot of younger people don't realize is the position "Mayor of London" is only 24 years old. London had no city-wide government between 1985 and 2000, and the pre-1985 council didn't have a mayor. Personally I'd enthusiastically vote for a return to the pre-2000 system as it's not at all clear to me what these people do for us or what we gain from giving them all this money.
The London Mayor and more recently the Manchester Mayor have been huge successes in transport coordination. I don't think many people would a priori say "the best structure for a large city is fifty non-coordinated boroughs". You could make a clearer case for abolishing the boroughs (especially some of the more corrupt and incompetent ones) and running the city as a unitary whole. The only reason the GLC was abolishe…
Do you have particular boroughs in mind?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
The London Mayor and more recently the Manchester Mayor have been huge successes in transport coordination. I don't think many people would a priori say "the best structure for a large city is fifty non-coordinated boroughs". You could make a clearer case for abolishing the boroughs (especially some of the more corrupt and incompetent ones) and running the city as a unitary whole. The only reason the GLC was abolishe…
> especially some of the more corrupt and incompetent ones Do you have particular boroughs in mind?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Something else that a lot of younger people don't realize is the position "Mayor of London" is only 24 years old. London had no city-wide government between 1985 and 2000, and the pre-1985 council didn't have a mayor. Personally I'd enthusiastically vote for a return to the pre-2000 system as it's not at all clear to me what these people do for us or what we gain from giving them all this money.
> and the pre-1985 council didn't have a mayor. True but it had a council leader. > Personally I'd enthusiastically vote for a return to the pre-2000 system as it's not at all clear to me what these people do for us or what we gain from giving them all this money. A failing on your part. About half of it is TFL. Budget https://www.london.gov.uk/media/100391/download?attachment
Mind you, we don't vote for parties to govern or which member to lead them (and it needn't be an MP) either, but it doesn't stop people talking like we do. (I'm voting Labour - no you're not, you're voting for the Labour candidate in your area. I'm voting for Rishi Sunak - you're almost certainly not, the vast majority of people not being in his constituency. Etc.)
"In fact, the City of London is so independent that it has its own flag, crest, police force, ceremonial armed forces, and a mayor who has a special title, the Right Honorable, the Lord Mayor of London. Oddly enough, if the monarch wants to enter the City of London, she first must ask the Lord Mayor for permission" Are there some books that comprehensively cover several aspects around the City of London? The City of…
> The City of London appeared quite often in Lee Kwan Yu's memoirs Interesting - was it an inspiration for Singapore's governance as a city-state?
He also hinted that Singapore's set-up as a good destination for finance was modeled after the City of London
I used to live in the City of London at the top end of Chancery Lane. I could therefore be in a different city (City of Westminster) by crossing the street to the west and leave the city entirely by crossing to the north (London Borough of Camden).
I used to live pretty close to the eastern end of the City in Aldgate/Whitechapel. It was pretty cool to go running and cycling around the City during the pandemic lockdowns, with almost no people or cars around. Same with central London: I remember cycling though a completely deserted Leicester Square one day and hearing nothing but birds chirping in the trees!
Also I remember loafing around my flat watching the news about some May Day protests in London and when I turned the TV off I realised I could... hear the protesters. They were over on Fleet Street another very short walk away!
"In fact, the City of London is so independent that it has its own flag, crest, police force, ceremonial armed forces, and a mayor who has a special title, the Right Honorable, the Lord Mayor of London. Oddly enough, if the monarch wants to enter the City of London, she first must ask the Lord Mayor for permission" Are there some books that comprehensively cover several aspects around the City of London? The City of…
Fact checking : the monarch does not have to ask permission to enter the City. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=City_of_London_...
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Greater London is made up of 32 London Boroughs and the City of London that provide the vast majority of municipal services. Each has a mayor or Lord Mayor. The powers and responsibilities of London Boroughs, and the local authority responsibilities of the City of London Corporation are set out in statute law, not delegated by the Mayor of London. The Mayor of London is responsible for public transport, Fire and Resc…
Something else that a lot of younger people don't realize is the position "Mayor of London" is only 24 years old. London had no city-wide government between 1985 and 2000, and the pre-1985 council didn't have a mayor. Personally I'd enthusiastically vote for a return to the pre-2000 system as it's not at all clear to me what these people do for us or what we gain from giving them all this money.
That it what it gives us: Representation in a region more populous than most countries which is politically often poorly aligned with the national government.
The 1985 power-grab by Thatcher was deeply anti-democratic.
I suspect I could get him to do an AMA here if people would like to hear more about the City and its fascinating ways.
Seriously, we could actually do this!