List of Mayors of London

Early Mayors of London

The first recorded Mayor of London was Henry Fitz-Ailwin, who took office in 1189 and held the position until his death in 1212. His reign marked the beginning of the unbroken line of the Mayoralty of London, a position that has evolved significantly over the centuries.

An ancient stone marking the location of Londonestone, the home of Henry Fitz-Ailwin.

The Role of the Mayor

The role of the Mayor of London is to provide leadership and strategic direction for the city. This includes setting budgets, making policy decisions, and representing London both nationally and internationally. The Mayor is also responsible for the strategic planning of London, including housing, economic development, and transport.

Notable Mayors in History

Over the centuries, many notable individuals have held the position of Mayor of London. Some of these include Sir Richard Whittington, who served four terms in the 15th century and is the subject of the famous English folk tale "Dick Whittington and His Cat". Another notable Mayor was Sir Thomas Gresham, who established the Royal Exchange in 1571.

Modern Mayors of London

In 2000, the position of Mayor of London was reestablished as a directly elected role with executive powers. The first person to hold this position was Ken Livingstone, who served two terms from 2000 to 2008. He was succeeded by Boris Johnson, who also served two terms from 2008 to 2016. The current Mayor of London is Sadiq Khan, who took office in 2016.

The Mayoral Election Process

The Mayor of London is elected by the public in a vote that takes place every four years. The election uses a supplementary vote system, where voters can choose a first and second preference candidate. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the first preference votes, all but the top two candidates are eliminated and the second preference votes of the eliminated candidates are distributed to the remaining two.

See Also

• List of Lord Mayors of London
• London Assembly
• Greater London Authority