1998 Greater London Authority referendum
The Greater London Authority referendum of 1998 was held in Greater London on 7 May 1998, asking whether there was support for creating a Greater London Authority, composed of a directly elected Mayor of London and a London Assembly to scrutinise the Mayor's actions. Voter turnout was low, at just 34.1%.[1] The referendum was held under the Greater London Authority (Referendum) Act 1998 provisions.
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Are you in favour of the Government's proposals for a Greater London Authority, made up of an elected mayor and a separately elected assembly? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Results | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Results by borough |
Referendum question
editThe question that appeared on ballot papers in the referendum before the electorate was:
Are you in favour of the Government's proposals for a Greater London Authority, made up of an elected mayor and a separately elected assembly?
permitting a simple YES / NO answer.
Result
editGreater London Authority referendum, 1998 Result | |||
Choice | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Yes | 1,230,739 | 72.01% | |
No | 478,413 | 27.99% | |
Valid votes | 1,709,172 | 98.49% | |
Invalid or blank votes | 26,178 | 1.51% | |
Total votes | 1,735,350 | 100.00% | |
Registered voters and turnout | 5,016,064 | 34.60% |
Referendum results (excluding invalid votes) | |
---|---|
Yes 1,230,759 (72%) |
No 478,413 (28%) |
▲ 50% |
Results by borough
editLocal authority | Votes | Proportion of votes | Turnout* | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Agree | Disagree | Agree | Disagree | ||
City of London | 977 | 574 | 63.0 | 37.0 | 30.6 |
Barking and Dagenham | 20,534 | 7,406 | 73.5 | 26.5 | 24.9 |
Barnet | 55,487 | 24,210 | 69.6 | 30.4 | 35.3 |
Bexley | 36,527 | 21,195 | 63.3 | 36.7 | 34.7 |
Brent | 47,309 | 13,050 | 78.4 | 21.6 | 35.6 |
Bromley | 51,410 | 38,662 | 57.1 | 42.9 | 40.2 |
Camden | 36,007 | 8,348 | 81.2 | 18.8 | 32.8 |
Croydon | 53,863 | 29,368 | 64.7 | 35.3 | 37.2 |
Ealing | 52,348 | 16,092 | 76.5 | 23.5 | 37.8 |
Enfield | 44,297 | 21,639 | 67.2 | 32.8 | 32.8 |
Greenwich | 36,756 | 12,356 | 74.8 | 25.2 | 32.4 |
Hackney | 31,956 | 7,195 | 81.6 | 18.4 | 33.8 |
Hammersmith and Fulham | 29,171 | 8,255 | 77.9 | 22.1 | 33.6 |
Haringey | 36,296 | 7,038 | 83.8 | 16.2 | 29.9 |
Harrow | 38,412 | 17,407 | 68.8 | 31.2 | 36.0 |
Havering | 36,390 | 23,788 | 60.5 | 39.5 | 33.8 |
Hillingdon | 38,518 | 22,523 | 63.1 | 36.9 | 34.4 |
Hounslow | 36,957 | 12,554 | 74.6 | 25.4 | 31.9 |
Islington | 32,826 | 7,428 | 81.6 | 18.5 | 34.2 |
Kensington and Chelsea | 20,064 | 8,469 | 70.3 | 29.7 | 27.9 |
Kingston upon Thames | 28,621 | 13,043 | 68.7 | 31.3 | 41.1 |
Lambeth | 47,391 | 10,544 | 81.8 | 18.2 | 31.7 |
Lewisham | 40,188 | 11,060 | 78.4 | 21.6 | 29.3 |
Merton | 35,418 | 13,635 | 72.2 | 27.8 | 37.6 |
Newham | 33,084 | 7,575 | 81.4 | 18.6 | 27.9 |
Redbridge | 42,547 | 18,098 | 70.2 | 29.8 | 34.9 |
Richmond upon Thames | 39,115 | 16,135 | 70.8 | 29.2 | 44.5 |
Southwark | 42,196 | 10,089 | 80.7 | 19.3 | 32.7 |
Sutton | 29,653 | 16,091 | 64.8 | 35.2 | 34.9 |
Tower Hamlets | 32,630 | 9,467 | 77.5 | 22.5 | 34.2 |
Waltham Forest | 38,344 | 14,090 | 73.1 | 26.9 | 33.6 |
Wandsworth | 57,010 | 19,695 | 74.3 | 25.7 | 38.7 |
Westminster | 28,413 | 11,334 | 71.5 | 28.5 | 31.8 |
Totals | 1,230,759 | 478,413 | 72.01 | 27.99 | 34.1% |
Source: The Independent |
The 'Yes' vote won in every London Borough, though support was generally larger in Inner London than in Outer London. The lowest support figures were 60.5% in Havering and 57.1% in Bromley; the greatest were 83.8% in Haringey and 81.8% in Lambeth. The income level of boroughs was an even greater factor affecting the outcome.
Aftermath
editThe government passed the Greater London Authority Act 1999, creating the Greater London Authority. Elections for the Mayor of London and the London Assembly were held in May 2000.
References
edit- ^ Assiner, Nick (8 May 1998). "Overwhelming vote for mayor". BBC News.