It’s been like 25 years since Londoners first cast their votes for a directly-elected Mayor and a bunch of London Assembly members. And like, every now and then, someone pops up to say maybe we should just get rid of them, but like, most people who actually run the city and make stuff happen there are like, nah, we good.
For example, John Dickie, the big boss at BusinessLDN (formerly known as London First), who was all about bringing back a London-wide government, was totally praising what the Mayors have done so far. He’s all about giving City Hall even more power, you know?
To celebrate this like, 25-year milestone, here are 25 big things that have gone down because of, or to, London’s three Mayors up to now. Each one shows how valuable the Mayor gig is, how it’s changed over time, and how they’ve dealt with some tough stuff. I mean, this list could have been way longer, but like, if you’ve got any other ideas for it, feel free to drop a comment (the friendly kind, please).
1. The very first election went down on 4 May, 2000, and Ken Livingstone snagged that win. He ran as an Independent after getting the boot from Labour. He was all like, “As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted 14 years ago…” which honestly sounds like a line from a movie. Livingstone got the idea from some dude on the Tube. Crazy, right?
2. Livingstone made same-sex civil partnerships a thing in 2001. Darren Johnson, his Green Party rival, suggested it during the first Mayor’s Question Time. It was a big deal back then, paving the way for gay marriage laws later on.
3. The whole Congestion Charge deal was a wild ride. People thought it was gonna be a disaster, but it actually worked out pretty well. Even Boris Johnson kept the original scheme when he took over.
4. The launch of the Oyster card in 2003 was a game-changer for London transport. It was a big deal back then, but now it’s all about contactless Pay As You Go. Times, they are a-changin’.
5. The first London Plan dropped in 2004, setting the stage for how the city would grow and develop. They’re already working on the fifth one.
6. London snagging the 2012 Olympics was a huge win. It took a team effort, but it was a big moment for the city and the Mayor’s office.
7. Then, like, the very next day after the Olympics win, the 7/7 bombings hit London hard. Livingstone had to step up and make a tough speech from Singapore.
8. The London Overground kicked off in 2007, giving the city a fresh set of train lines to play with. Mayor Livingstone was all about that ribbon-cutting life.
9. City Hall got more say in planning big projects in 2008, which changed how things get built in London.
10. Boris Johnson becoming Mayor in 2008 was a whole thing. He was a bit of a mess at first, but he eventually figured it out.
And like, that’s just the start of it. There’s way more stuff that’s gone down over the years. It’s been a wild ride for London and its Mayors, with ups and downs, twists and turns. Who knows what the next 25 years will bring? It’s like a never-ending soap opera, but with more public transportation and fewer evil twins.
