Introduction

London has undergone rapid change many times in its history. Over the last 2000 years, it has created an outstanding cultural, social, economic, environmental and built heritage. Its strengths are unique. It is:

• one of the three world financial centres, Europe’s financial capital, and the world’s most economically internationalised city
• the most culturally diverse city in the world
• the largest city in the European Union
• the UK’s centre of government, culture and tourism as well as business
• a city with a vast heritage of historic buildings, townscape, waterways and an environment that attracts visitors from all over the world
• a city with an unsurpassed range of arts and cultural activity
• a UK and international centre for the creative industries and the new knowledge economy
• a safe and green city
• a world centre of academic excellence, providing research
• and consulting services internationally
• a hub of unsurpassed international transport connections
• a city where there is the important advantage that its main language,English, is as close to an international language as exists in the world today.

Introduction policies

• Sustainable development