Deputy Mayor of London explained

Post:Statutory Deputy Mayor of London
Insigniasize:200
Incumbent:Joanne McCartney
Incumbentsince:9 May 2016
Member Of:
Seat:City Hall, London
Appointer:Mayor of London
Inaugural:Nicky Gavron
Constituting Instrument:Greater London Authority Act 1999, s 2(1)(a)

A Deputy Mayor is a member of the London Mayoral cabinet, in the executive arm of the Greater London Authority. They serve as political advisors with responsibilities and powers corresponding to portfolios delegated by the Mayor. One of them must be designated as the Statutory Deputy Mayor, a member of the London Assembly who serves as the temporary Mayor during a vacancy or temporary incapacity of the Mayor.[1]

History

Colour key (for political parties):

Current or final office holders of a mayoralty are highlighted in bold

Livingstone mayoralties

The 2000 London mayoral election was won by Ken Livingstone, who ran as an independent after being expelled from the Labour Party. He announced that he would rotate the position of deputy mayor equally between the four parties represented in the London Assembly (London Labour, London Conservatives, London Liberal Democrats and the London Green Party).[2] He offered the role to Nicky Gavron of the Labour Party for the first year. After some political manoeuvring, she accepted.[3]

However, in 2001, Ken Livingstone decided not to offer the role to the Conservatives, claiming it would be disruptive, so Nicky Gavron retained the post. In 2002 the Liberal Democrats were asked to nominate a candidate but declined, saying that it would be better to scrutinise the mayor from an independent position.[4] Again Nicky Gavron remained. In 2003, the Greens accepted an offer to nominate a deputy mayor and selected Jenny Jones, who became London's second deputy mayor.

Nicky Gavron was originally chosen as the Labour candidate for the 2004 London mayoral election but she stepped aside when Ken Livingstone was invited to rejoin the party. They then ran on a joint ticket as Labour's candidates for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor. She served as Ken Livingstone's deputy for the duration of his second term.

In his first term, Ken Livingstone came under fire for delegating his powers to his chief of staff, Simon Fletcher, rather than the deputy mayor on several occasions.[5]

Livingstone Statutory Deputy Mayors!Portfolio!colspan=2
Deputy MayorTerm
Statutory Deputy Mayor2000–2003
2003–2004
2004–2008

Johnson mayoralties

After Boris Johnson became Mayor of London in May 2008, he appointed Richard Barnes[6] as his statutory Deputy Mayor, with the specific responsibility for community cohesion and regeneration. However, he also gave the title of Deputy Mayor to several other people, each with a specific role: Ian Clement (Government Relations); Kit Malthouse (Policing); and Ray Lewis (Young People).[7]

Sir Simon Milton, a former councillor, served as Deputy Mayor of Policy and Planning and Chief of Staff to Johnson until his death in office in 2011. In May 2011, Sir Edward Lister was then appointed as his successor. Richard Barnes ceased to be Deputy Mayor on 4 May 2012, when he lost his seat in the Assembly. Victoria Borwick succeeded him in the post.[8] [9] Borwick resigned in May 2015, following her election as Member of Parliament for Kensington, being succeeded by Roger Evans.[10]

Johnson mayoral cabinet!Portfolio!colspan=2
Deputy MayorTerm
First Johnson mayoralty
Statutory Deputy Mayor
Communities, Cohesion and Regeneration
2008–2012
Policing2008–2012
TransportIsabel Dedring2008–2012
Policy and PlanningSimon Milton2008–2011
Edward Lister2011–2012
Young PeopleRay Lewis2008
Government and External RelationsIan Clement2008–2009
Second Johnson mayoralty
Statutory Deputy Mayor2012–2015
2015–2016
Business and Enterprise2012–2015
Housing, Land and PropertyRichard Blakeway2012–2016
Policing and CrimeStephen Greenhalgh2012–2016
Policy and PlanningEdward Lister2012–2016
Education and CultureMunira Mirza2012–2016
TransportIsabel Dedring2012–2016

Khan mayoralty

The 2016 London mayoral election was won by Sadiq Khan for London Labour.[11] Following the election, he appointed Joanne McCartney Statutory Deputy Mayor, along with nine additional deputy mayors, making Khan the first mayor to use all ten available Deputy Mayor spots.

Khan mayoral cabinet!Portfolio!colspan=2
Deputy MayorTerm
Statutory Deputy Mayor
Education and Childcare
2016–present
Policing and CrimeSophie Linden2016–present
Fire and Resilience2018–present
Housing and Residential DevelopmentJames Murray2016–2019
2020–present
Planning, Regeneration and SkillsJules Pipe2016–present
Social Integration, Social Mobility, Community EngagementMatthew Ryder2016–2018
Deborah Weekes-Bernard2018–present
BusinessRajesh Agrawal2016–present
Culture and Creative IndustriesJustine Simons2016–present
Environment and EnergyShirley Rodrigues2016–2024
TransportVal Shawcross2016–2018
Heidi Alexander2018–2021
Seb Dance2021–Present

Notes and References

  1. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1999/29/schedule/4/paragraph/4 Greater London Authority Act 1999 sch 4 s 4(1)
  2. News: Clark. Andrew. Greens select Livingstone's deputy. 26 July 2014. The Guardian. 19 February 2003.
  3. News: Labour deputy joins Livingstone. 26 July 2014. BBC News. 16 May 2000.
  4. Web site: Featherstone. Lynne. Lynne Featherstone. All change for the Tories. lynnefeatherstone.org. Liberal Democrats. 26 July 2014. 16 May 2002. Other hot news – the Liberal Democrat group has turned down the Mayor’s offer of the deputy mayor post. Our job is to keep an eye on him – and that is better done from an independent position. It would have been nice – but just not practicable..
  5. Web site: Mayor leaves London in hands of adviser. London Assembly. 26 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20031022072201/http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release_a.jsp?releaseid=1189. 22 October 2003. 13 June 2002.
  6. Web site: Richard Barnes, Deputy Mayor of London.
  7. Web site: Boris Johnson announces further senior appointments to his administration . 6 May 2008 . 6 May 2008 . Greater London Authority . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080512115137/http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=16774 . 12 May 2008 .
  8. Web site: Victoria Borwick named new Deputy Mayor of London.
  9. Web site: Investment providing platform for economic growth. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120606012158/http://www.london.gov.uk/media/press_releases_mayoral/investment-providing-platform-economic-growth. 6 June 2012.
  10. http://www.mayorwatch.co.uk/roger-evans-appointed-as-deputy-mayor-of-london/ www.mayorwatch.co.uk
  11. News: Sadiq Khan: Global figures and media react to London mayoral victory. 7 May 2016.