Reshaping local government

The mayors show

Britain’s few elected mayors have mostly worked well. That doesn’t mean other cities will vote for them

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Readers' comments



Pico della Mirandola

During these years Londoners rarely seen the actual major showing up and the perception is he didn't do much during all this time (except for a cycle scheme and few others initiatives more political than of real substance). Also during the recent riots and demonstrations in London we didn't hear from him much. But he was there last month to play tennis in Trafalgar Sq with Prime Minister to promote 2012 Olympics (better later then never...). He is very well connected with local newspapers and magazines.
Maybe next year we have a chance to change.


Sadly, the Economist is wrong in that the 36.000 mayors of French towns and cities are directly elected by the local electorates. They are not. The mayors in France are elected by the local councillors. This is the case for both the Mayor of Paris, the twenty local mayors of the various arrondissements (boroughs), as well as the mayors of the remaining cities, villages and communes.

The presidents of the various inter-district councils are also indirectly elected, such as the president of the communauté urbaine, communauté d'agglomération and communautés de communes. Inter-district councils are de facto mandatory in French urban areas.


Manchester as a city region which the mayor would be for has over 2 million inhabitants so your chart is misleading because you are just counting the central borough local authority not the other boroughs that make up Manchester as a whole



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