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Congratulations to Dame Susan Langley on her election as the Lady Mayor of London.  She will be the 697th and only third female Mayor; we expect and look forward to a different and exciting year.

The election of the Lord Mayor is one of the most important days in the City’s year.  Livery Masters and Clerks met for breakfast in the Guildhall before robing and lining up in order of precedence in the Guildhall Crypt.  “Herding sheep without a sheepdog” was a frequent (and topical) observation.  The Masters then processed to the Guild Church of St Lawrence Jewry for a Divine Service.  We heard impressive singing by the Masters in the recently refurbished fine example of the work by Christopher Wren and Grinling Gibbons.  Back to the Guildhall for reordering, the Masters then processed into the Guildhall followed by the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, Sheriffs and Officers of the City of London.  When all were seated the Serjeant-at-arms proclaimed silence and directed “all persons to be uncovered in the hall” and “all those who are not Liverymen to depart the hall on pain of imprisonment”.

There were five nominations for the election of Lord Mayor and the Livery voted for the top two by acclamation.  The Aldermen then voted for the Lord Mayor in private in the print room.  When everyone came together again in the Guildhall there was great applause for the new Mayor elect.  Finally, the outgoing Lord Mayor and Sheriffs gave speeches thanking everyone and the Lady Mayor elect shared her vision before accepting the post. It is reproduced below.

The Master and representatives of the Water Conservators then headed to the Founders’ Hall for good fellowship with other Livery Companies and a most enjoyable lunch.

My Lord Mayor

Fellow Liverymen. Thank you for your support and for electing me.

The Mayoralty has endured for hundreds of years. It gives us a sense, as we stand here in this great Hall, of stability and tradition, which is both familiar and comforting. We are all shaped by history, from the City’s Roman birth, to the establishment of guilds, to the very heart of commerce and innovation that we are all part of today.

But we must always build on history and not be held in thrall by it. We have had Lady Justices for many years and indeed now have a Lady Chief Justice and so today, I am setting a precedent by becoming our City’s very first Lady Mayor.

As to the Mayoralty, it must continue to make a difference. I believe its core value, is the ability to convene, to bring people together, whoever and where ever they are. Relationship building … diplomacy… trade… debate… investment… With the challenges we face, I really don’t underestimate the impact this great office can have and I pledge to you, I will carry it out to the very best of my ability.

And looking to the future, I believe that the Lord or Lady Mayor is a role, it’s not an individual. And I will be the custodian of that role, for a year. Just because something has existed for hundreds of years, gives it no right to continue to do so, unless it evolves. And so we are introducing a new approach, the Modern mayoralty aimed at firmly cementing the Mayoralty as the City’s Ambassador for Financial and Professional Services. This means I will focus on growth and build on the work of previous Lord Mayors and then.. hand on to the next. My Lord Mayor you have rightly focused on investment and over the next year, I will focus on connecting both capital and talent to opportunity.

It makes me realise that we talk about the City or opportunity, we often talk in numbers, about its financial contribution to the UK. But numbers are just numbers, why do they really matter? Because they mean that this City pays for more than half of the UK’s costs of health and care. And that it provides a home, or a job, a community and a livelihood for almost 700,000 people and their families.

Talking of families, I could not undertake this role or be stood here today, without the support and love of Gary, up in the balcony. Or without the same support and love from friends, Livery and colleagues, too many to mention and most here in the hall today. This.. is a team effort and we both look forward to working with the Sheriffs Robert and Keith and their partners Elspeth and Kevin.

I want to end, by saying that I really believe we are a City of opportunity. I remember I used to watch the Lord Mayor’s Show from my granddad’s shoulders, waving as it swept by, wrapped in a warm scarf. That child never ever dreamt that one day she’d be swept along with it, sitting in the golden coach itself. Like many, she didn’t think the City was for her, but that’s what we need the next generation to know. That it is. To stand up and tell them

To those that say I can’t.. you can

And to those that say will I?.. you will

That’s what we need people to understand, we are a City that cares, we are a City where you can live, work and dream. And that together, we can make a difference. If we work as a team, Livery and City, we can be far more than the sum of our parts. And so, I stand here today, together, with you.

I’ve left the formal commitment words that I have to say to the very end… as I can take my own step into history. So thank you again for your support, and..

I … accept this office.