The final full City of London council meeting before the summer break is already being spoken about by elected members as a watershed moment. It took place on 20 July 2023, and the defeat of the ruling clique’s proposal to abolish the Markets Board (which oversees the wholesale markets run by the council, Smithfield Market, Billingsgate Market and New Spitalfields Market) confirms what we’ve been saying for months – that Chris Hayward no longer has much support or credibility as council leader. The vote against the abolition of the Markets Board is seen by a number of councillors as being as momentous as a vote of no confidence in a national government. Chris Hayward should now be wondering whether he can survive his full five year term, of which he has so far served just over a year.