How Should the Mayor Lead London Now?

In a session chaired by Tony Travers, Richard Brown, Ian Gordon, Jack Brown and Catriona Riddell will be discussing what leadership role has the Mayor of London. 

In early March 2020, when London was starting to think about Mayoral elections - initially due in May 2020 - we organised a short series of roundtables to discuss key policy issues for the City of London. Following the 12-month postponement of all May elections due to COVID-19, the London Mayoral elections have now been confirmed for 6 May 2021. Therefore, we have decided to resume our series of events to discuss the key issues facing the new Mayor of London after the elections, ranging from leadership, London’s growth to-the levelling up agenda.

This interactive session will bring together professionals, academics and the public around presentations and a general discussion.

Richard Brown is Interim Director at Centre for London. He joined the Centre in 2014 as Research Director, leading Centre for London's research and events programme. Previously Richard was Strategy Director at the London Legacy Development Corporation, planning the development of London’s Olympic Park and the surrounding area. Before that, he worked at the Greater London Authority, first as Private Secretary to Mayor Ken Livingstone, and then as Manager of the Mayor’s Architecture and Urbanism Unit.

Ian Gordon is Emeritus Professor of Human Geography at LSE's Department of Geography and Environment. Prior to this he spent eleven years as Professor of Geography at Reading University, before which he taught in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Kent, where he directed the Urban and Regional Studies Unit. He is currently a member of the Mayor's Outer London Commission; and the Department of Communities and Local Government's Regeneration and Economic Development Analysis Expert Panel. His main research interests have been in urban development and policies, spatial labour markets, migration and spatial interaction, particularly in the context of major metropolitan regions. 

Jack Brown is Lecturer in London Studies and London Partnerships Director (Education) in the Department of Political Economy at King’s College London. Jack was also Research Manager at Centre for London. Prior to joining the Centre for London, Jack worked as Researcher in Residence at No. 10 Downing Street, and Research Assistant to the King’s Commission on London.

Catriona Riddell  is a Chartered Town Planner who has worked at local, regional and national levels on the development and implementation of planning policy since 1990. As Director of Catriona Riddell & Associates Ltd, Catriona has delivered a number of projects across the country focusing on improving strategic planning mechanisms. She is currently the national Strategic Planning Specialist for the Planning Officers' Society, Vice Chair of the Town and Country Planning Association, a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute's England Policy Panel, and is a regular columnist at Planning Magazine and judge on the national Planning Awards.

Tony Travers is Visiting Professor at LSE's Department of Government and Director of LSE London. His key research interests include local and regional government, elections and public service reform. Professor Travers’ knowledge is frequently sought by policy makers and he has advised a range of select committees and think tanks. He also provides expert analysis for broadcast and print media, regularly appearing on major television and radio networks.

LSE London is a research centre at LSE that focuses on the economic and social issues of the London region, as well as the problems and possibilities of other urban and metropolitan regions. The centre has a strong international reputation particularly in the fields of labour markets, social and demographic change, housing, finance, and governance, and it is the leading academic centre for analyses of city-wide developments in London.

Twitter Hashtag for this event: #LondonMayoralElections