Politics & Society
Meet the mayors, prime ministers and Parliaments who’ve held power, and see how Londoners have lived together, with the help of our objects, stories and blogs.
Blogs-And-Stories
Boris Johnson: London mayor, Brexit prime minister
Running the capital then the country, Johnson is remembered for the Olympics, Brexit and Covid-19
Bomber jackets: From military gear to fashion icon
A personal take on the evolution of the bomber jacket and its allure for women
Sadiq Khan: London’s first Muslim mayor
The south-London son of a bus driver whose time in office has included Covid-19 and the ULEZ expansion
The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, 1953
Celebrated by Londoners in the streets – and on their screens
What was the 1911 Suffragette Women’s Coronation Procession?
Could an enormous march get the new king to support women’s right to vote?
Why did Suffragettes go on hunger strike?
Imprisoned for militant action, some Suffragettes went to extreme lengths to continue their protest
The 1918 election: When women first voted
The first general election after the First World War saw huge changes in who could vote
Ken Livingstone: GLC leader & London’s first mayor
Dubbed “Red Ken” in the 1980s, Livingstone became London’s first directly elected mayor in 2000
Speakers’ Corner: A home of free speech
Hyde Park’s historic spot for public speaking and debate
The People’s Vote marches against Brexit
After the UK voted to exit the European Union in 2016, hundreds of thousands called for a second referendum
