Greater London Council

former government body, London, United Kingdom

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June 29, 2026

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The Greater London Council (GLC) was a governmental body that existed in London, United Kingdom, from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the London County Council and encompassed a wider area, including suburbs within the Green Belt, and amalgamated over 100 existing local councils into 33 boroughs. The GLC and the boroughs often had conflicting political interests, which were ultimately resolved when Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher abolished the GLC in 1986. Its responsibilities were then distributed among the boroughs and other bodies. In 2000, a new Greater London Authority was established, featuring an elected mayor and assembly, to manage citywide services like transport and planning.12

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London
Greater London
…LCC was replaced by the Greater London Council. Its boundaries were extended to include suburbs developed after 1888—i.e., more or less the entire built-up area within the Green Belt. At the same time, more than 100 existing local councils were amalgamated to form a modernized system of 33 boroughs, including…
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…LCC was replaced by the Greater London Council. Its boundaries were extended to include suburbs developed after 1888—i.e., more or less the entire built-up area within the Green Belt. At the same time, more than 100 existing local councils were amalgamated to form a modernized system of 33 boroughs, including…
Read More

Margaret Thatcher
Prime minister
…London government, Thatcher abolished the Greater London Council in 1986. By the end of Thatcher’s second term, few aspects of British life had escaped the most sweeping transformation of Britain since the postwar reforms of the Labour Party.
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…London government, Thatcher abolished the Greater London Council in 1986. By the end of Thatcher’s second term, few aspects of British life had escaped the most sweeping transformation of Britain since the postwar reforms of the Labour Party.
Read More