When will the City address the issue of gender exclusive masonic lodges meeting on its premises?

The Pink Paper reports today that a City of London survey found more than two-thirds of respondents support trans people using rest rooms that match their gender identity. The survey results were published yesterday, 17 April 2019. This is to be welcomed but simultaneously the City of London should not be allowed to use its trans policies as a fig leaf with which to cover its blatantly discriminatory practice of supporting men only masonic lodges whose members are massively over-represented in top council jobs. Since the founding of the Guildhall Lodge in 1905 more than two thirds of those holding the top position of Lord Mayor at the City of London council have belonged to this small and singular masonic organisation. Since less than 1% of the English population are masons, and only two Lord Mayors have been women since 1905 (women are massively under-represented in top council jobs), the council allowing men only masonic lodges like the Guildhall Lodge to meet for free on its premises – essentially subsidising them – is clearly a discrimination issue. The council needs to insist men only lodges whose members are massively over-represented within the local authority allow women to join if such organisations are to continue to meet on its premises – and until there is gender parity within these lodges to ban them. Despite this issue being repeatedly raised, it is something that City of London councillor and freemason Edward Lord has yet to seriously address. We were disappointed the Pink Paper uncritically ran quotes from Lord in their piece.

Sue Pearson Fights City’s Anti-Democratic Gagging Of Residents’ Views

The message below was circulated by email earlier today and is reproduced without permission – although we hope Sue Pearson will be happy for us to reuse it. We have covered the City of London council’s attempted intimidation and gagging of Sue Pearson before. She needs support as part of the ongoing fight for democracy in this rotten borough; a fight which also entails abolishing the City of London’s feudal business vote and other reforms that include a reduction to the number of councillors in this local authority area to match the number of residential voters (to place it on a par with other London boroughs).

More Sham Elections In the City of London

All four candidates in the farcical Cordwainter and Bassishaw by-elections are ‘independents’ but nonetheless support the right-wing neo-liberal agenda of the City of London. It is very hard for anyone who doesn’t hold such views to get nominated by the handful of business voters in these tiny City of London wards. These elections will be no fairer or freer than those held in North Korea and demonstrate yet again the urgent need to democratically reform the City of London.

City of London & Hong Kong Have More In Common Than Their Democratic Deficits

The City of London’s “charm offensive in the race for renminbi” has paid off, with London daily trading in renminbi now exceeding that in euro, the Financial Times reported. But this is only half the story, which is also about life after Brexit for Britain, and about the nation’s role in China’s “Belt and Road Initiative”. Some have suggested that post-Brexit Britain could become “another Singapore” by modelling itself on successful island economies. But in reality the City of London may be in process of becoming another Hong Kong. The key is that both Britain and its former colony are situated at either end of the Belt and Road project.

Brexit ‘could benefit overseas development by curbing City of London’s power’

The City of London is the largest financial centre in the EU and one of the biggest facilitators of tax havens, tax avoidance and so on. What will Brexit mean for financial sector regulation, for our efforts to, for example, close down tax havens or stop tax-dodging by multinational corporations? How much will the EU take aim at the City of London after Brexit, and what does that mean for UK actors trying to influence those discussions? The EU may try to minimise the role of the City of London and all the problems it causes in the global economy. If the EU uses its power to cut off access to the EU financial sector from the UK, it could have a major impact on the UK’s ability to continue to be one of the leading global financial sector players.

Ongoing Exasperation With The City of London Council

Local residents’ anger with the City of London council is very evident in the latest issue of the fortnightly free sheet City Matters, a publication which also provides the head of this local authority with a regular column. It’s non-council columnists are usually anodyne but not in this issue! Billy Mann socks it to the City of London Corporation with the following words: “If anything can take the shine off neighbourly bliss it is the clumsiness of the council. A number of residents met recently with housing chief Paul Murtagh, who arrived in a foul mood…”

City Should Use The Museum of London Site To Build Social Housing

Two weeks ago the government published its first ever housing delivery test – which assesses how many homes have been built by every local authority over the past three years as a percentage of the number required. More than 100 town halls fell short of the 95% pass rate, while those with the biggest delivery gaps could face having some planning powers removed next year unless they step up supply. Seven councils are currently missing the 45% threshold which would trigger that scenario, including two London boroughs and the City of London Corporation…

RECLAIM EC1

No To Business Votes, Yes To Democracy!

When will the City address the issue of gender exclusive masonic lodges meeting on its premises?

Sue Pearson Fights City’s Anti-Democratic Gagging Of Residents’ Views

More Sham Elections In the City of London

City of London & Hong Kong Have More In Common Than Their Democratic Deficits

Brexit ‘could benefit overseas development by curbing City of London’s power’