LSE sponsored the 2024 London Conference, organised by the Centre for London to bring together leading figures from the capital’s government, private sector and civil society to discuss the challenges facing London.
Organised by the Public Affairs team and through a mixture of workshops and panel speakers, LSE research and expertise was at the forefront of conversations focused on how, by 2030, we can make London a more inclusive, sustainable and economically successful place.
What we did
London has one of the most unique and complex political arrangements in the UK. It is the seat of national government and hosts a devolved regional government and 32 local councils plus the ancient, finance-orientated City of London. Alongside a dynamic community of private businesses, public sector organisations and charities, London represents an exciting and valuable opportunity for LSE experts to build their profile and create impact through their work.
LSE's sponsorship meant our academics were at the heart of key conversations for these stakeholders. For example, Rhianydd Griffith spoke on a panel alongside the Deputy Mayor for the Environment and Transport for London's strategy director about decarbonising London. Alongside her own expertise, she set out findings from her co-authored report for LSE’s Just Transition Finance Lab on how councils like Westminster can identify and support the funding of local net zero projects.
Professor Tony Travers, Deputy Dean of the School of Public Policy and Director of LSE London, meanwhile chaired a panel on governing London alongside London Assembly members and local authority leaders.
Finally, Professor Neil Lee from the Department of Geography and Environment and London Policy Fellow Jenevieve Treadwell led workshops on “What an industrial strategy for London should look like”.
These were a particular success, drawing in more than 100 people for conversations about what an industrial strategy is, how it can help London tackle problems like high house prices or deprivation and what London can learn from examples abroad. It also provided novel visualisations of datasets that changed how participants understood where London’s key industries are located or the differences between the 32 boroughs' economic performance over the last twenty years.
Below are some of the slides presented during the workshop.
Attendees valued the opportunity to learn about an increasingly important feature of UK economic policymaking, hear innovative evidence that challenged their preconceptions and engage with novel ideas for tackling long standing problems. Professor Lee and Jenevieve also valued the experience because it allowed them to take feedback from stakeholders in their work, understand how far it aligns with their priorities and learn about how they can go further to connect the two.
Crucially, the relationships built during the conference are being reinforced through further exchanges, meetings and events at LSE and beyond. The School's engagement with our London stakeholders is constantly expanding to meet growing demand from organisations and communities across London for research that helps them navigate the obstacles and seize the opportunities in our rapidly changing world.
Whether you are part of the LSE community or one of our stakeholders, contact our London Communications Co-ordinator at a.ashurst@lse.ac.uk to learn more about our work.
