How strong is the Mayor of London?

Abstract

English This article addresses the question ‘How strong is the Mayor of London?’ from two perspectives: the distinction between ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ mayors that emerged from American urban political analysis; and the strength of mayors outside the formal confines of their office in governance. It is argued that, while the Mayor of London is strong in the Greater London Authority, he is weak in London governance, as the Mayor has limited local autonomy, is heavily reliant on central government for funding, has no party connections, and as yet he has not harnessed latent governmental or nongovernmental capacity in London.