1998 Greater London Authority referendum

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.

1998 Greater London Authority referendum

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  %
Yes 1,230,759 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/turnout 5,016,064 34.6%

Results by borough

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
Choice Votes  %
Yes 1,230,73972.01%
No 478,41327.99%
Valid votes 1,709,17298.49%
Invalid or blank votes 26,1781.51%
Total votes 1,735,350100.00%
Registered voters and turnout 5,016,06434.60%
Referendum results (excluding invalid votes)
Yes
1,230,759 (72%)
No
478,413 (28%)

50%

Results by borough

Local authority Votes Proportion of votes Turnout*
Agree Disagree Agree Disagree
City of London97757463.037.030.6
Barking and Dagenham20,5347,40673.526.524.9
Barnet55,48724,21069.630.435.3
Bexley36,52721,19563.336.734.7
Brent47,30913,05078.421.635.6
Bromley51,41038,66257.142.940.2
Camden36,0078,34881.218.832.8
Croydon53,86329,36864.735.337.2
Ealing52,34816,09276.523.537.8
Enfield44,29721,63967.232.832.8
Greenwich36,75612,35674.825.232.4
Hackney31,9567,19581.618.433.8
Hammersmith and Fulham29,1718,25577.922.133.6
Haringey36,2967,03883.816.229.9
Harrow38,41217,40768.831.236.0
Havering36,39023,78860.539.533.8
Hillingdon38,51822,52363.136.934.4
Hounslow36,95712,55474.625.431.9
Islington32,8267,42881.618.534.2
Kensington and Chelsea20,0648,46970.329.727.9
Kingston upon Thames28,62113,04368.731.341.1
Lambeth47,39110,54481.818.231.7
Lewisham40,18811,06078.421.629.3
Merton35,41813,63572.227.837.6
Newham33,0847,57581.418.627.9
Redbridge42,54718,09870.229.834.9
Richmond upon Thames39,11516,13570.829.244.5
Southwark42,19610,08980.719.332.7
Sutton29,65316,09164.835.234.9
Tower Hamlets32,6309,46777.522.534.2
Waltham Forest38,34414,09073.126.933.6
Wandsworth57,01019,69574.325.738.7
Westminster28,41311,33471.528.531.8
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.

References

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