Lord Mayor
The Lord Mayor of the City of London is the elected, one-year head of the City of London Corporation, a different office from the Mayor of London, who runs the whole capital. The two are often confused, even in the press.
In practice
The Mayor of London is a political office created in 2000, elected by Londoners every four years, and responsible with the London Assembly for transport, policing strategy, planning and housing across Greater London. The Lord Mayor is a much older, non-party office confined to the Square Mile. The holder is chosen each autumn, largely by members of the City's livery companies, and spends the year as an ambassador for the UK's financial and professional services, travelling abroad and hosting events at Mansion House. Each November the new Lord Mayor rides in a gilded coach through the City in the Lord Mayor's Show, followed by a long procession.
Why it matters to newcomers
If a news story concerns fares, the Tube or citywide housing targets, it is about the Mayor of London. If it concerns City finance, Guildhall or Mansion House, it is about the Lord Mayor. The Lord Mayor's Show is free to watch and one of the oldest civic parades in Britain.
Related
- Square Mile - the area the Lord Mayor represents
- Livery company - whose members elect the Lord Mayor
Sources: City of London Corporation; Greater London Authority.