1998 Greater London Authority referendum

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1998 Greater London Authority referendum
Flag of the Greater London Authority (2020).png
7 May 1998 (1998-05-07)

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
Choice
Votes %
Check-71-128-204-brightblue.svgYes1,230,75972.01%
Light brown x.svgNo478,41327.99%
Valid votes1,709,17298.49%
Invalid or blank votes26,1781.51%
Total votes1,735,350100.00%
Registered voters/turnout5,016,06434.6%

Greater London Authority referendum, 1998.svg
Results by borough

The Greater London Authority referendum of 1998 was a referendum held in Greater London on 7 May 1998, asking whether there was support for the creation of 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 provisions of the Greater London Authority (Referendum) Act 1998.

Contents

Referendum question

The 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

Greater London Authority referendum, 1998
Result
ChoiceVotes %
Yes1,230,73972.01%
No478,41327.99%
Valid votes1,709,17298.49%
Invalid or blank votes26,1781.51%
Total votes1,735,350100.00%
Registered voters and turnout5,016,06434.60%
Referendum results (excluding invalid votes)
Yes
1,230,759 (72%)
No
478,413 (28%)

50%

Results by borough

Local authorityVotesProportion of votesTurnout*
AgreeDisagreeAgreeDisagree
City of London 97757463.037.030.6
Barking and Dagenham 20,5347,40673.526.524.9
Barnet 55,48724,21069.630.435.3
Bexley 36,52721,19563.336.734.7
Brent 47,30913,05078.421.635.6
Bromley 51,41038,66257.142.940.2
Camden 36,0078,34881.218.832.8
Croydon 53,86329,36864.735.337.2
Ealing 52,34816,09276.523.537.8
Enfield 44,29721,63967.232.832.8
Greenwich 36,75612,35674.825.232.4
Hackney 31,9567,19581.618.433.8
Hammersmith and Fulham 29,1718,25577.922.133.6
Haringey 36,2967,03883.816.229.9
Harrow 38,41217,40768.831.236.0
Havering 36,39023,78860.539.533.8
Hillingdon 38,51822,52363.136.934.4
Hounslow 36,95712,55474.625.431.9
Islington 32,8267,42881.618.534.2
Kensington and Chelsea 20,0648,46970.329.727.9
Kingston upon Thames 28,62113,04368.731.341.1
Lambeth 47,39110,54481.818.231.7
Lewisham 40,18811,06078.421.629.3
Merton 35,41813,63572.227.837.6
Newham 33,0847,57581.418.627.9
Redbridge 42,54718,09870.229.834.9
Richmond upon Thames 39,11516,13570.829.244.5
Southwark 42,19610,08980.719.332.7
Sutton 29,65316,09164.835.234.9
Tower Hamlets 32,6309,46777.522.534.2
Waltham Forest 38,34414,09073.126.933.6
Wandsworth 57,01019,69574.325.738.7
Westminster 28,41311,33471.528.531.8
Totals1,230,759478,41372.0127.9934.1%
Source: The Independent

The 'Yes' vote won in every London Borough, though support generally was 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. Income level of boroughs was even a greater factor affecting the outcome.

Aftermath

The 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.

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References

  1. Assiner, Nick (8 May 1998). "Overwhelming vote for mayor". BBC News.