125-507: The Center for Countering Digital Hate ( CCDH ), formerly Brixton Endeavors , is a British-American not-for-profit NGO company with offices in London and Washington, D.C. with the stated purpose of stopping the spread of online hate speech and disinformation . It campaigns to deplatform people that it believes promote hate or misinformation , and campaigns to restrict media organisations such as The Daily Wire from advertising. CCDH
250-527: A High Court challenge to the legality of the review of the disciplinary decision but similar charges had been made on 3 September 2019, involving a further suspension; the High Court ruled the Labour Party's disciplinary procedure with regard to these charges should run its course. In November that year, Labour's National Executive Committee blocked Williamson from standing as a Labour candidate in
375-568: A "very great friend", saying that his defeat at the 2015 general election was "the worst result of that night". During the 2017 general election campaign, he was described by the New Statesman as the "most pro-Jeremy Corbyn candidate in England's most marginal constituency". Williamson said that his candidacy would be a "test case for Corbynism", and Corbyn campaigned for him. Williamson regained his former seat from Amanda Solloway of
500-542: A larger area, similar in size to Greater London, although some outer districts are excluded and some just outside included. The Greater London boundary has been aligned to the M25 motorway in places. Further urban expansion is now prevented by the Metropolitan Green Belt , although the built-up area extends beyond the boundary in places, producing a separately defined Greater London Urban Area . Beyond this
625-577: A letter of support for Williamson. The letter was later removed from The Guardian website, after questions were raised about the listed affiliation of some individuals on the list of signatories. Hope not Hate said that the person who used the organisation's name had not been authorised to do so and the Board of Deputies of British Jews said that two of the signatories had promoted 9/11 conspiracy theories. His speaking events have been controversial. For example, Labour activists criticised his invitation to
750-542: A new party called System Change, with Williamson as the leader. In July 2023, Williamson joined the Workers Party of Britain . The party has defended Williamson over his suspension from the Labour Party for his comments about antisemitism. At the party's Congress in December 2023, when George Galloway was re-elected party leader. Williamson was among three deputy leaders elected. Williamson currently hosts
875-403: A population density of 802 per acre (325 per hectare). In addition to the growing number of stores selling goods, such as Harding, Howell & Co. —one of the first department stores —located on Pall Mall , the streets had scores of street sellers . London's overcrowded conditions led to cholera epidemics, claiming 14,000 lives in 1848, and 6,000 in 1866. Rising traffic congestion led to
1000-573: A population of 7,172,036 in 2001 and a population density of 11,760 inhabitants per square mile (4,542/km ). The extended area known as the London Metropolitan Region or the London Metropolitan Agglomeration, comprises a total area of 3,236 square miles (8,382 km ) has a population of 13,709,000 and a population density of 3,900 inhabitants per square mile (1,510/km ). Modern London stands on
1125-571: A protest against Chris Williamson speaking, with a third venue then cancelling the booking after threats of violence were received. Supporters of the MP talked of the importance of protecting freedom of speech. In response, Williamson said: "The grotesque slurs that Peter Kyle and others have levelled against me are truly despicable. I have a long and proud record of fighting racism, which has always involved standing up for every oppressed and marginalised group in society, including Jewish people. When Peter Kyle
1250-503: A result, in June 2020, Google found that reader comments on Zero Hedge breached its policies and banned Zero Hedge from its advertising platform. In November 2021, a report by the CCDH identified "ten fringe publishers" that together were responsible for nearly 70 percent of Facebook user interactions with content that denied climate change. Facebook said the percentage was overstated and called
1375-463: A scourge on society, which is why I stand in absolute solidarity with anyone who is subjected to antisemitic abuse". He added that his critics' "accusations of anti-Semitism (against him) were positively sinister" and "highly offensive and hurtful" in suggesting "that I was an anti-Semite myself, yet I have fought racism all my adult life". In April 2018, Williamson referenced Ken Livingstone : "We've got these ridiculous suspensions and expulsions from
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#17327902993311500-551: A temperate oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ). Rainfall records have been kept in the city since at least 1697, when records began at Kew . At Kew, the most rainfall in one month is 7.4 inches (189 mm) in November 1755 and the least is 0 inches (0 mm) in both December 1788 and July 1800. Mile End also had 0 inches (0 mm) in April 1893. The wettest year on record is 1903, with a total fall of 38.1 inches (969 mm) and
1625-597: A trade union meeting in Hull and a talk in Hebden Bridge was cancelled after fears that protests would disrupt a wedding at the same venue. In October 2019, a Methodist church in Downham Market cancelled the booking for a meeting he was due to speak at after "its understanding" of Williamson increased, having not known anything about him at the time of the booking. An event due to be hosted by Williamson at
1750-545: A veteran left-wing politician and broadcaster. TV presenter Rachel Riley and the CCDH directly lobbied " Big Tech " companies to have both journalists removed from major social media platforms. According to media reports, Riley and Imran Ahmed had a "secret meeting" with Twitter 's London based staff in January 2020, demanding the removal of Hopkins and Galloway from their platform. CCDH's attempt to remove Galloway from Twitter failed, but Hopkins had her account suspended for
1875-494: A visit to Derbyshire, Jeremy Corbyn defended Williamson, saying that "Chris Williamson is a very good, very effective Labour MP. He's a very strong anti-racist campaigner. He is not anti-semitic in any way." In his 2022 memoir, Williamson detailed his belief that the Labour Party handled accusations of antisemitism poorly. He characterised the situation as a fake crisis. He has also stated that he would not cave under pressure from what he describes as "a coordinated smear operation by
2000-791: A week in February 2020, and removed indefinitely in July 2020. In April 2020 the CCDH launched a campaign against the British conspiracy theorist David Icke , who gained increased media attention during the COVID-19 -associated lockdown in the United Kingdom . In November 2020, Twitter removed Icke's account for violating the site's rules against spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally called Stop Funding Fake News ,
2125-644: Is 1,049.8 millibars (31.00 inHg) on 20 January 2020. Summers are generally warm, sometimes hot. London's average July high is 23.5 °C (74.3 °F). On average each year, London experiences 31 days above 25 °C (77.0 °F) and 4.2 days above 30.0 °C (86.0 °F). During the 2003 European heat wave , prolonged heat led to hundreds of heat-related deaths. A previous spell of 15 consecutive days above 32.2 °C (90.0 °F) in England in 1976 also caused many heat related deaths. A previous temperature of 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) in August 1911 at
2250-593: Is a British politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Derby North from 2010 to 2015 and again from 2017 to 2019 . He was Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government from October 2010 to October 2013. Williamson was previously a local councillor in Derby , representing the Normanton ward from 1991 until 2011 and serving twice as leader of Derby City Council . In February 2019, Williamson
2375-790: Is a member of the Stop Hate For Profit coalition. According to public records, the organisation was incorporated in 2018 in London as Brixton Endeavours Limited. It changed its name to Center for Countering Digital Hate in August 2019. In 2021, its US office was registered as a nonprofit organisation in the United States. CCDH's current CEO is Imran Ahmed . The CCDH has targeted social media platforms for what it says are insufficient efforts on their part to fight neo-Nazis and anti-vaccine advocates. The CCDH wrote an article asking Google to stop running advertisements for what
2500-558: Is a really dirty, lowdown trick, particularly the antisemitism smears. Many people in the Jewish community are appalled by what they see as the weaponisation of antisemitism for political ends." Marie van der Zyl , the Board of Deputies vice-president, said that Williamson should "show solidarity with those suffering racism within his own party rather than blaming the victims". Williamson described antisemitism as being "utterly repugnant and
2625-545: Is formed of two tiers: a citywide, strategic tier and a local tier. Citywide administration is coordinated by the Greater London Authority (GLA), while local administration is carried out by 33 smaller authorities. The GLA consists of two elected components: the mayor of London , who has executive powers , and the London Assembly , which scrutinises the mayor's decisions and can accept or reject
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#17327902993312750-707: Is headquartered in Thames House on the north bank of the River Thames and the foreign intelligence service ( MI6 ) is headquartered in the SIS Building on the south bank. Crime rates vary widely across different areas of London. Crime figures are made available nationally at Local Authority and Ward level. In 2015, there were 118 homicides, a 25.5% increase over 2014. Recorded crime has been rising in London, notably violent crime and murder by stabbing and other means have risen. There were 50 murders from
2875-642: Is held by an independent . The ministerial post of minister for London was created in 1994, however as of 2024, the post has been vacant. Policing in Greater London, with the exception of the City of London , is provided by the Metropolitan Police ("The Met"), overseen by the mayor through the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC). The Met is also referred to as Scotland Yard after
3000-500: Is known as London . It is the capital of the United Kingdom and of England by convention rather than statute. The capital of England was moved to London from Winchester as the Palace of Westminster developed in the 12th and 13th centuries to become the permanent location of the royal court , and thus the political capital of the nation. Greater London encompasses a total area of 611 square miles (1,583 km ) an area which had
3125-610: Is the fourth-most populous in Europe, with about 9.8 million inhabitants as of 2011. The London metropolitan area is the third-most populous in Europe, with about 14 million inhabitants as of 2016, making London a megacity . Four World Heritage Sites are located in London: Kew Gardens ; the Tower of London ; the site featuring the Palace of Westminster , Church of St. Margaret , and Westminster Abbey ; and
3250-523: Is the vast London commuter belt . Greater London is split for some purposes into Inner London and Outer London , and by the River Thames into North and South , with an informal central London area. The coordinates of the nominal centre of London, traditionally the original Eleanor Cross at Charing Cross near the junction of Trafalgar Square and Whitehall , are about 51°30′26″N 00°07′39″W / 51.50722°N 0.12750°W / 51.50722; -0.12750 . Within London, both
3375-605: The 2010 Labour leadership election . In October 2010, Williamson became Shadow Fire and Emergency Services Minister within the Shadow Communities and Local Government team after just four months as an MP but, after a reshuffle of the shadow cabinet in 2013, was replaced by Lyn Brown . He served as a member of the Communities and Local Government Committee between July and November 2010 and from November 2013 to March 2015. In 2014, Williamson voted to support
3500-627: The Barrow Cadbury Trust . In August 2023, Jim Jordan , the chair of the US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee , wrote to CCDH requesting the CCDH provide all documents and communications between the CCDH and the U.S. Executive branch and social media companies, a list of employees, contractors and grants received, to determine if the U.S. government "has coerced and colluded with companies and other intermediaries to censor speech". Responding to The Washington Post reporters,
3625-540: The Black Death in the mid-14th century, London lost nearly a third of its population. London was the focus of the Peasants' Revolt in 1381. London was a centre of England's Jewish population before their expulsion by Edward I in 1290. Violence against Jews occurred in 1190, when it was rumoured that the new king had ordered their massacre after they had presented themselves at his coronation. In 1264 during
3750-551: The COVID-19 pandemic . The Resistance Movement also has a YouTube channel, Resistance TV. Resist was proscribed by the Labour Party in July 2021. In October 2020, the Equalities and Human Rights Commission report into antisemitism in the Labour Party did not find that Williamson had contributed to the "unlawful harassment related to Jewish ethnicity" in the Labour Party, which Williamson declared as vindication. In November 2020, in response to Jeremy Corbyn's suspension from
3875-686: The Cameron coalition's 2011 military intervention in Libya and the British action against ISIS in Iraq . In April 2018, Williamson said that, while he was initially undetermined, he was "naive" to support the votes. He abstained on the Immigration Bill in 2014 , following an instruction from Labour whips , saying later: "I have to say—if I'm being honest—I didn't study it enough or fully appreciate
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4000-589: The Canary Wharf development. This was born out of London's increasing role as an international financial centre in the 1980s. Located about 2 miles (3 km) east of central London, the Thames Barrier was completed in the 1980s to protect London against tidal surges from the North Sea . The Greater London Council was abolished in 1986, leaving London with no central administration until 2000 and
4125-575: The City of London , but since then it has also referred to the County of London and to Greater London . In 1993, remains of a Bronze Age bridge were found on the south River Thames foreshore, upstream from Vauxhall Bridge . Two of the timbers were radiocarbon dated to 1750–1285 BC. In 2010, foundations of a large timber structure, dated to 4800–4500 BC, were found on the Thames' south foreshore downstream from Vauxhall Bridge. Both structures are on
4250-672: The Corn Laws in 1846 was specifically aimed at weakening Dutch economic power. London then overtook Amsterdam as the leading international financial centre. With the onset of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, an unprecedented growth in urbanisation took place, and the number of High Streets (the primary street for retail in Britain) rapidly grew. London was the world's largest city from about 1831 to 1925 , with
4375-566: The Derby South constituency as the Workers Party candidate at the 2024 general election . He finished third with 5,205 votes (behind Labour's Baggy Shanker , another former council leader (14,503) and Reform UK (8,501) and beating the Conservatives (5,192) into fourth place by 12 votes. Williamson is teetotal and has been a vegan since 1976. He has a son and a daughter, Fionnbharr and Simone, from an early relationship. He
4500-809: The FA Cup Final , the Wimbledon Tennis Championships , and the London Marathon . It became the first city to host three Summer Olympic Games upon hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics . London is an ancient name, attested in the first century AD, usually in the Latinised form Londinium . Modern scientific analyses of the name must account for the origins of the different forms found in early sources: Latin (usually Londinium ), Old English (usually Lunden ), and Welsh (usually Llundein ), with reference to
4625-568: The Georgian era , new districts such as Mayfair were formed in the west; new bridges over the Thames encouraged development in South London . In the east, the Port of London expanded downstream. London's development as an international financial centre matured for much of the 18th century. In 1762, George III acquired Buckingham House , which was enlarged over the next 75 years. During
4750-497: The Greater London Authority . As one of the world's major global cities , London exerts a strong influence on world art , entertainment, fashion , commerce, finance, education , healthcare , media , science, technology, tourism , transport , and communications. Despite a post- Brexit exodus of stock listings from the London Stock Exchange , London remains a European economic powerhouse, and one of
4875-634: The King's Road , Chelsea and Carnaby Street . The role of trendsetter revived in the punk era. In 1965 London's political boundaries were expanded in response to the growth of the urban area and a new Greater London Council was created. During The Troubles in Northern Ireland, London was hit from 1973 by bomb attacks by the Provisional Irish Republican Army . These attacks lasted for two decades, starting with
5000-687: The London Ambulance Service (LAS) NHS Trust , the largest free-at-the-point-of-use emergency ambulance service in the world. The London Air Ambulance charity operates in conjunction with the LAS where required. Her Majesty's Coastguard and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution operate on the River Thames , which is under the jurisdiction of the Port of London Authority from Teddington Lock to
5125-727: The Mediterranean was normally through Antwerp and over the Alps ; any ships passing through the Strait of Gibraltar to or from England were likely to be Italian or Ragusan . The reopening of the Netherlands to English shipping in January 1565 spurred a burst of commercial activity. The Royal Exchange was founded. Mercantilism grew and monopoly traders such as the East India Company were founded as trade expanded to
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5250-613: The New Model Army entered London in 1647, and they were levelled by Parliament the same year. London was plagued by disease in the early 17th century, culminating in the Great Plague of 1665–1666, which killed up to 100,000 people, or a fifth of the population. The Great Fire of London broke out in 1666 in Pudding Lane in the city and quickly swept through the wooden buildings. Rebuilding took over ten years and
5375-564: The New World . London became the main North Sea port, with migrants arriving from England and abroad. The population rose from about 50,000 in 1530 to about 225,000 in 1605. In the 16th century, William Shakespeare and his contemporaries lived in London during English Renaissance theatre . Shakespeare's Globe Theatre was constructed in 1599 in Southwark . Stage performances came to a halt in London when Puritan authorities shut down
5500-612: The Old Bailey bombing . Racial inequality was highlighted by the 1981 Brixton riot . Greater London's population declined in the decades after the Second World War, from an estimated peak of 8.6 million in 1939 to around 6.8 million in the 1980s. The principal ports for London moved downstream to Felixstowe and Tilbury , with the London Docklands area becoming a focus for regeneration, including
5625-418: The River Thames in southeast England, at the head of a 50-mile (80 km) estuary down to the North Sea , and has been a major settlement for nearly 2,000 years. Its ancient core and financial centre , the City of London , was founded by the Romans as Londinium and has retained its medieval boundaries. The City of Westminster , to the west of the City of London, has been the centuries-long host of
5750-424: The Second Barons' War , Simon de Montfort 's rebels killed 500 Jews while attempting to seize records of debts. During the Tudor period , the Reformation produced a gradual shift to Protestantism . Much of London property passed from church to private ownership, which accelerated trade and business in the city. In 1475, the Hanseatic League set up a main trading base ( kontor ) of England in London, called
5875-412: The Stalhof or Steelyard . It remained until 1853, when the Hanseatic cities of Lübeck , Bremen and Hamburg sold the property to South Eastern Railway . Woollen cloth was shipped undyed and undressed from 14th/15th century London to the nearby shores of the Low Countries . Yet English maritime enterprise hardly reached beyond the seas of north-west Europe . The commercial route to Italy and
6000-495: The Thames , its primary geographical feature, a navigable river which crosses the city from the south-west to the east. The Thames Valley is a flood plain surrounded by gently rolling hills including Parliament Hill , Addington Hills , and Primrose Hill . Historically London grew up at the lowest bridging point on the Thames. The Thames was once a much broader, shallower river with extensive marshlands ; at high tide, its shores reached five times their present width. Since
6125-414: The Victorian era the Thames has been extensively embanked , and many of its London tributaries now flow underground . The Thames is a tidal river, and London is vulnerable to flooding. The threat has increased over time because of a slow but continuous rise in high water level caused by climate change and by the slow 'tilting' of the British Isles as a result of post-glacial rebound . London has
6250-442: The division lobbies and Corbyn's earlier frequent parliamentary vote rebellions as Corbyn expressing the opinions of party members. Williamson supported a mandatory reselection process for all Labour MPs. In 2018, Williamson, Fire Brigades Union leader Matt Wrack and ASLEF president Tosh McDonald toured England and Wales to promote this and other internal reforms which would provide "greater democracy and accountability within
6375-427: The gas attack on Douma . In August 2018, he said it was a "privilege" to hear a talk by a pro- Assad blogger , Vanessa Beeley. He says that, with Corbyn as leader, the party has "a common-sense socialist" who does not place MPs in the situation of risking being in conflict with the party whips. Williamson said he is "not one for undermining the leadership publicly", explaining the difference between his history in
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#17327902993316500-401: The 11th century, London was clearly the largest town in England. Westminster Abbey , rebuilt in Romanesque style by King Edward the Confessor , was one of the grandest churches in Europe. Winchester had been the capital of Anglo-Saxon England , but from this time London became the main forum for foreign traders and the base for defence in time of war. In the view of Frank Stenton : "It had
6625-434: The 18th century, London was said to be dogged by crime, and the Bow Street Runners were established in 1750 as a professional police force. Epidemics during the 1720s and 30s saw most children born in the city die before reaching their fifth birthday. Coffee-houses became a popular place to debate ideas, as growing literacy and development of the printing press made news widely available, with Fleet Street becoming
6750-477: The 2019 general election. He resigned from the Labour Party and stood as an Independent, losing the seat and his deposit. Williamson currently hosts the programme Palestine Declassified on the Iranian government-owned TV channel PressTV . He has been a Deputy Leader of the Workers Party of Britain since December 2023. He stood for the party in the Derby South constituency in the 2024 general election , finishing third. Born in Derby , Williamson attended
6875-412: The Brighthelm Centre in Brighton was cancelled after local MP Peter Kyle contacted the venue to express his concerns over Williamson's alleged antisemitism. A second venue was also cancelled; Williamson said this was after staff were threatened in person and abused in phone calls and on their personal social media accounts. The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council called
7000-446: The CCDH called "racist disinformation and conspiracies" relating to George Soros , claims that the U.S. National Institutes of Health funded the Wuhan Institute of Virology , and the veracity of climate change claims. Advertisements from American news site The Daily Wire were targeted by CCDH in a 2020 campaign. In January 2020, the CCDH campaigned against Katie Hopkins , a far-right political commentator, and George Galloway ,
7125-402: The CCDH denied receiving any funds from the United States government and provided documents it said showed its bipartisan approach. London London is the capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom , with a population of 8,866,180 in 2022. The wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe , with a population of 14.9 million. London stands on
7250-429: The CCDH has campaigned to restrict the reach of the following media organisations by targeting their use of the Google advertising platform: Breitbart News , CNSNews , Hot Air , Newsbusters , Newsmax , MRCTV , RedState , Twitchy , The Daily Wire , and Zero Hedge . The CCDH notified Google that the Zero Hedge website had published what it called "racist articles" about the Black Lives Matter protests. As
7375-442: The CCDH reported that the social media platform TikTok promoted self-harm and dieting content to users. In June 2023, the CCDH reported that after Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter , the site "fails to act on 99% of hate posted by Twitter Blue subscribers". Twitter's successor company, X Corp. responded to this by filing a lawsuit against the CCDH on 31 July 2023, saying that they "falsely claim it had statistical support showing
7500-420: The City of London and the City of Westminster have city status . The City of London and the remainder of Greater London are both counties for the purposes of lieutenancies . The area of Greater London includes areas that are part of the historic counties of Middlesex , Kent , Surrey , Essex and Hertfordshire . More recently, Greater London has been defined as a region of England and in this context
7625-463: The Conservatives with a majority of 2,015 votes. On 3 July 2017, Williamson was appointed Shadow Fire and Emergency Services Minister. Williamson resigned this role on 11 January 2018. A day earlier he said that council tax on the highest-value homes should be doubled. The comment, which was not party policy and outside his remit, was made without the knowledge of Andrew Gwynne , the shadow secretary of state for communities and local government. When
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#17327902993317750-413: The Greenwich station was later disregarded as non-standard. Droughts can also, occasionally, be a problem, especially in summer, most recently in summer 2018, and with much drier than average conditions prevailing from May to December. However, the most consecutive days without rain was 73 days in the spring of 1893. Chris Williamson (politician) Christopher Williamson (born 16 September 1956)
7875-404: The Labour Party, Williamson announced that he was in discussions with "key labour movement officials and existing left-wing parties" about the possibility of creating a new socialist party. A press release announced that Williamson had joined the Steering Committee of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) as an observer member. On 2 August 2022, the Electoral Commission registered
8000-412: The Labour whip removed for his comments and a group of 38 Labour MPs had written to the party's General Secretary to ask that he be suspended. There was also pressure from London mayor Sadiq Khan , GMB leader Tim Roache , anti-racism charity HOPE not hate , the Jewish Labour Movement and the Board of Deputies of British Jews. Jewish Voice for Labour defended Williamson, as did the " Labour Against
8125-435: The London area. This called for the Corporation of the city to extend its jurisdiction and administration over expanding areas around the city. Fearing an attempt by the Crown to diminish the Liberties of London , coupled with a lack of interest in administering these additional areas or concern by city guilds of having to share power, caused the Corporation's "The Great Refusal", a decision which largely continues to account for
8250-408: The St. John Fisher Primary School in Alvaston , Castle Donington High School and St. Thomas More High School in Allenton . After working as a craft apprentice for a year from 1972, Williamson then worked as a bricklayer for six years. He continued his education at Leicester Polytechnic (now De Montfort University ), where he obtained a professional social work qualification (a CQSW) in 1985. He
8375-407: The Stop Funding Fake News campaign led to The Canary downsizing its operations; it said that it was "against the actions of a state, not against Jewish people as an ethnic group" and that it had been "smeared with accusations of anti-Semitism by those who've weaponised the term for political ends". Labour Party MP Chris Williamson described the campaign against The Canary as "sinister". In 2023,
8500-405: The Viking incursions formally agreed by the Danish warlord , Guthrum and the West Saxon king Alfred the Great in 886. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that Alfred "refounded" London in 886. Archaeological research shows this involved abandonment of Lundenwic and a revival of life and trade within the old Roman walls . London then grew slowly until a dramatic increase in about 950. By
8625-428: The Witchhunt " pressure group and the Sheffield Hallam constituency branch of the Labour Party who voted 40-to-0 in favour of a motion stating Williamson's comments had been taken out of context. Williamson apologised for his comments saying: "I deeply regret, and apologise for, my recent choice of words when speaking about how the Labour Party has responded to the ongoing fight against antisemitism inside of our party. I
8750-493: The Zionist lobby", a group in which Williamson, in the view of one reviewer, appears to include "the Community Security Trust, Board of Deputies of British Jews and Jewish Leadership Council, Campaign Against Antisemitism, BICOM and the Jewish Labour Movement". In February 2019, Williamson was criticised for booking a room in the Houses of Parliament for a screening of Witch Hunt , a film about suspended party member Jackie Walker , to be hosted by Jewish Voice for Labour . At
8875-421: The campaign asks advertisers to stop placing ads on websites it argues are spreading misinformation (" fake news "). It began as a grassroot campaign in March 2019, inspired by the US success of Sleeping Giants which had convinced several advertisers not to advertise on the Breitbart News website. Ted Baker , Adobe Inc. , Chelsea FC , eBay and Manchester United were among the 40 brands and charities that
9000-426: The campaign had persuaded to stop advertising on what it called fake news sites. In March 2019, charity Macmillan Cancer Support removed an advertisement from The Canary website after complaints from the campaign and from others. The campaign accused The Canary of promoting conspiracy theories , defending antisemitism , and publishing fake news. The Canary said changes to Google and Facebook's algorithms and
9125-559: The centre of the British press. The invasion of Amsterdam by Napoleonic armies led many financiers to relocate to London and the first London international issue was arranged in 1817. Around the same time, the Royal Navy became the world's leading war fleet, acting as a major deterrent to potential economic adversaries. Following a fire in 1838, the Royal Exchange was redesigned by William Tite and rebuilt in 1844. The repeal of
9250-484: The city's metropolis. The City of London at its core once comprised the whole settlement, but as its urban area grew, the Corporation of London resisted attempts to amalgamate the city with its suburbs , causing "London" to be defined several ways. Forty per cent of Greater London is covered by the London post town , in which 'London' forms part of postal addresses. The London telephone area code (020) covers
9375-412: The city, to intimidate the inhabitants. In 1097, William II began building Westminster Hall , near the abbey. It became the basis of a new Palace of Westminster . In the 12th century, the institutions of central government, which had hitherto followed the royal English court around the country, grew in size and sophistication and became increasingly fixed, for most purposes at Westminster , although
9500-600: The combined revenue expenditure by London councils and the GLA amounted to just over £22 billion (£14.7 billion for the boroughs and £7.4 billion for the GLA). The London Fire Brigade is the statutory fire and rescue service for Greater London, run by the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority . It is the third largest fire service in the world. National Health Service ambulance services are provided by
9625-490: The confines that we were subjected to by central government", arguing that "It was a bullshit scheme—I wouldn't have chosen it at all. It didn't give value for money. But what were we supposed to do as a local authority? We either [do it or] say we are not going to build these schools or we are not going to refurbish these unfit dwellings." He became leader of the Labour Group on Derby City Council , serving as leader of
9750-549: The council on two separate occasions. While council leader, Williamson presided over a coalition with the Conservatives for two years after Labour lost its majority in 2006. He was instrumental in setting up Holocaust Memorial Day events in the city. In the 2010 general election , Williamson was elected for Derby North with a majority of 613 over the Conservative candidate. Williamson supported Ed Miliband in
9875-626: The creation of the Greater London Authority . To mark the 21st century, the Millennium Dome , London Eye and Millennium Bridge were constructed. On 6 July 2005 London was awarded the 2012 Summer Olympics , as the first city to stage the Olympic Games three times. On 7 July 2005, three London Underground trains and a double-decker bus were bombed in a series of terrorist attacks . In 2008, Time named London alongside New York City and Hong Kong as Nylonkong , hailing them as
10000-559: The creation of the London Underground , the world's first urban rail network . The Metropolitan Board of Works oversaw infrastructure expansion in the capital and some surrounding counties; it was abolished in 1889 when the London County Council was created out of county areas surrounding the capital. From the early years of the 20th century onwards, teashops were found on High Streets across London and
10125-400: The decision to raise these allegations now, and to impose a second suspension on the claimant, is to seek to ensure that he will remain suspended even if this claim is successful and that he will therefore remain disqualified from selection in the forthcoming general election." On 10 October 2019, the High Court ruled that reopening the first suspension had been unfair and unlawful, but upheld
10250-713: The driest is 1921, with a total fall of 12.1 inches (308 mm). The average annual precipitation amounts to about 600mm, which is half the annual rainfall of New York City . Despite relatively low annual precipitation, London receives 109.6 rainy days on the 1.0mm threshold annually. London is vulnerable to climate change , and there is concern among hydrological experts that households may run out of water before 2050. Temperature extremes in London range from 40.2 °C (104.4 °F) at Heathrow on 19 July 2022 down to −17.4 °C (0.7 °F) at Northolt on 13 December 1981. Records for atmospheric pressure have been kept at London since 1692. The highest pressure ever reported
10375-609: The first Muslim mayor of a major Western capital. The mayor's statutory planning strategy is published as the London Plan , which was most recently revised in 2011. The local authorities are the councils of the 32 London boroughs and the City of London Corporation . They are responsible for most local services, such as local planning, schools, libraries, leisure and recreation, social services , local roads and refuse collection. Certain functions, such as waste management , are provided through joint arrangements. In 2009–2010
10500-869: The historic settlement in Greenwich where the Royal Observatory defines the prime meridian (0° longitude ) and Greenwich Mean Time . Other landmarks include Buckingham Palace , the London Eye , Piccadilly Circus , St Paul's Cathedral , Tower Bridge , and Trafalgar Square . The city has the most museums , art galleries, libraries, and cultural venues in the UK, including the British Museum , National Gallery , Natural History Museum , Tate Modern , British Library , and numerous West End theatres. Important sporting events held in London include
10625-585: The implications." Williamson was one of 16 signatories of an open letter to Ed Miliband in January 2015 calling on the party to oppose further austerity, take rail franchises back into public ownership and strengthen collective bargaining arrangements. At the 2015 general election , Williamson lost the Derby North seat to Amanda Solloway of the Conservative Party by 41 votes. Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn described Williamson in early 2016 as
10750-466: The issue was raised, Williamson, rather than agree to confine his public statements to his own policy area, resigned. He said: "I've taken this decision to bring me closer to the membership of our party and to allow me to work on a broader range of issues, from environmental policy to animal rights and local government." In April 2018, Williamson voiced doubts that the Syrian government was responsible for
10875-404: The known developments over time of sounds in those different languages. It is agreed that the name came into these languages from Common Brythonic ; recent work tends to reconstruct the lost Celtic form of the name as * Londonjon or something similar. This was then adapted into Latin as Londinium and borrowed into Old English. Until 1889, the name "London" applied officially only to
11000-533: The legality of the second suspension on 3 September on new allegations, saying it was not inherently unfair and the "new disciplinary case must run its course". Williamson recovered his legal costs. In July 2019, the Labour Party in Northern Ireland (LPNI) released a statement opposing the resuspension of Williamson on the grounds that it was "arbitrary and unreasonable" and "the Labour Party does not have any form of particular problem with anti-semitism". In
11125-640: The location of its original headquarters in a road called Great Scotland Yard in Whitehall. The City of London has its own police force – the City of London Police . First worn by Met police officers in 1863, the custodian helmet has been called a "cultural icon" and a "symbol of British law enforcement". Introduced by the Met in 1929, the blue police telephone box (basis for the TARDIS in Doctor Who )
11250-409: The mayor's budget proposals each year. The GLA has responsibility for the majority of London's transport system through its functional arm Transport for London (TfL), it is responsible for overseeing the city's police and fire services, and also for setting a strategic vision for London on a range of issues. The headquarters of the GLA is City Hall , Newham. The mayor since 2016 has been Sadiq Khan ,
11375-675: The most diverse cities in the world. In 1951, the Festival of Britain was held on the South Bank . The Great Smog of 1952 led to the Clean Air Act 1956 , which ended the " pea soup fogs " for which London had been notorious, and had earned it the nickname the "Big Smoke". Starting mainly in the mid-1960s, London became a centre for worldwide youth culture , exemplified by the Swinging London sub-culture associated with
11500-519: The national government and parliament . London grew rapidly in the 19th century , becoming the world's largest city at the time . Since the 19th century, the name "London" has referred to the metropolis around the City of London, historically split between the counties of Middlesex , Essex , Surrey , Kent , and Hertfordshire , which since 1965 has largely comprised the administrative area of Greater London , governed by 33 local authorities and
11625-467: The old Roman city. By about 680 the city had become a major port again, but there is little evidence of large-scale production. From the 820s repeated Viking assaults brought decline. Three are recorded; those in 851 and 886 succeeded, while the last, in 994, was rebuffed. The Vikings applied Danelaw over much of eastern and northern England, its boundary running roughly from London to Chester as an area of political and geographical control imposed by
11750-454: The party" made "in the most grotesque and unfair way". Supporting Len McCluskey , who had accused some Labour MPs of using the issue of antisemitism in campaigning against Corbyn, he described some of his colleagues as "malcontents" who were "completely out of step with party members" and voters, but that deselection of MPs was "a matter for Labour Party members in each constituency and not a matter for me or indeed Len". In January 2019, during
11875-480: The party". Williamson said the tour, which was titled The Democracy Roadshow , would promote "common sense socialism" in the Labour movement and "ensure the "transformative" change promised by Mr Corbyn can be delivered in government". In 2017, Williamson said that attacks on Corbyn's handling of antisemitism within the Labour Party were "proxy wars and bullshit" and that "I'm not saying it never ever happens but it
12000-525: The party's rules and gave him a formal sanction. He could face further, more severe, action if he repeats any similar comments or behaviour." It was suggested that the decision for readmission was made in order to enable Williamson to enter the Labour MP reselection process then underway. The decision to readmit Williamson was criticised by some Labour parliamentarians and parliamentary staff and by two British Jewish remit organisations. Two days later, he
12125-815: The platform is overwhelmed with harmful content." On March 25, 2024 District Judge Charles Breyer dismissed the case, writing that "This case is about punishing the Defendants for their speech." In April 2024, X Corp. appealed the ruling to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit . In 2020, the BBC noted some of CCDH's funders as the Pears Foundation , the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and
12250-572: The poll. Following his resignation from the Labour Party in 2019, Williamson initiated the Resistance Movement, also known as Resist, with the stated aim of fighting for change and social justice for all. An international conference, titled The Resist Festival and intending to feature Lowkey , Noam Chomsky, Max Blumenthal and speakers from the French Yellow vests movement , was planned for June 2020 but postponed due to
12375-490: The principal city of the Roman province of Britannia in 100. At its height in the 2nd century, Roman London had a population of about 60,000. With the early 5th-century collapse of Roman rule, the walled city of Londinium was effectively abandoned, although Roman civilisation continued around St Martin-in-the-Fields until about 450. From about 500, an Anglo-Saxon settlement known as Lundenwic developed slightly west of
12500-466: The resources, and it was rapidly developing the dignity and the political self-consciousness appropriate to a national capital ." After winning the Battle of Hastings , William, Duke of Normandy was crowned King of England in newly completed Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066. William built the Tower of London , the first of many such in England rebuilt in stone in the south-eastern corner of
12625-641: The rest of Britain, with Lyons , who opened the first of their chain of teashops in Piccadilly in 1894, leading the way. The tearooms, such as the Criterion in Piccadilly, became a popular meeting place for women from the suffrage movement. The city was the target of many attacks during the suffragette bombing and arson campaign , between 1912 and 1914, which saw historic landmarks such as Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral bombed. London
12750-401: The royal treasury came to rest in the Tower . While the City of Westminster developed into a true governmental capital, its distinct neighbour, the City of London , remained England's largest city and principal commercial centre and flourished under its own unique administration, the Corporation of London . In 1100, its population was some 18,000; by 1300 it had grown to nearly 100,000. With
12875-477: The same month, in a survey of LabourList readers with over 10,000 responses, over two thirds of those expressing a view supported Williamson's readmission. The linguist and activist Noam Chomsky , who is Jewish, told journalist Matt Kennard that there was "nothing even remotely antisemitic" about Williamson's comments in Sheffield, and remarked that the way accusations were being used in cases such as Williamson
13000-518: The same time, a video was published by The Yorkshire Post of him telling a Momentum meeting in Sheffield that the party was being "demonised as a racist, bigoted party", partly because, in response to criticism, the party had "given too much ground (and) been too apologetic", going on to say "We've done more to address the scourge of anti-Semitism than any other political party." Labour Deputy Leader Tom Watson said that Williamson should have
13125-486: The sea. London is the seat of the Government of the United Kingdom . Many government departments, as well as the prime minister's residence at 10 Downing Street , are based close to the Palace of Westminster , particularly along Whitehall . There are 75 members of Parliament (MPs) from London; As of June 2024 , 59 are from the Labour Party , 9 are Conservatives , 6 are Liberal Democrats and one constituency
13250-593: The south bank of the Thames, where the now-underground River Effra flows into the Thames. Despite the evidence of scattered Brythonic settlements in the area, the first major settlement was founded by the Romans around 47 AD, about four years after their invasion of 43 AD. This only lasted until about 61 AD, when the Iceni tribe led by Queen Boudica stormed it and burnt it to the ground. The next planned incarnation of Londinium prospered, superseding Colchester as
13375-424: The start of 2018 to mid April 2018. Funding cuts to police in London are likely to have contributed to this, though other factors are involved. However, homicide figures fell in 2022 with 109 recorded for the year, and the murder rate in London is much lower than other major cities around the world. London, also known as Greater London , is one of nine regions of England and the top subdivision covering most of
13500-743: The study misleading. The "Toxic Ten" publishers were: Breitbart News , The Western Journal , Newsmax , Townhall , Media Research Center , The Washington Times , The Federalist , The Daily Wire , RT , and The Patriot Post . The Center has identified the top 12 spreaders of anti-vaccine disinformation on social media platforms. The "Disinformation Dozen" were: Joseph Mercola , Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. , Ty and Charlene Bollinger , Sherri Tenpenny , Rizza Islam , Rashid Buttar , Erin Elizabeth , Sayer Ji , Kelly Brogan , Christiane Northrup , Ben Tapper, and Kevin Jenkins . In December 2022,
13625-631: The television programme Palestine Declassified on the Iranian government-owned TV channel PressTV . On 19 October 2023, Derbyshire Police said they had received "multiple reports" about a post by Williamson on X and were considering whether the post was a hate crime. Williamson's post stated "Israel has forfeited any right to exist". In an interview on 8 November, Williamson said in some respects Israel's actions against Gaza are worse than Nazi Germany . On 18 January 2024, Williamson publicly stated that "Israel must be destroyed." Williamson stood in
13750-753: The theatres in the 1640s. The ban on theatre was lifted during the Restoration in 1660, and London's oldest operating theatre, Drury Lane , opened in 1663 in what is now the West End theatre district. By the end of the Tudor period in 1603, London was still compact. There was an assassination attempt on James I in Westminster, in the Gunpowder Plot of 5 November 1605. In 1637, the government of Charles I attempted to reform administration in
13875-715: The unique governmental status of the City . In the English Civil War , the majority of Londoners supported the Parliamentary cause. After an initial advance by the Royalists in 1642, culminating in the battles of Brentford and Turnham Green , London was surrounded by a defensive perimeter wall known as the Lines of Communication . The lines were built by up to 20,000 people, and were completed in under two months. The fortifications failed their only test when
14000-499: The university is committed to supporting the well-being of all students within our community, we also have a legal duty to ensure that lawful free speech should not be prevented on campus." Williamson was prevented from standing as the Labour candidate in his Derby North constituency at the 2019 general election as a result of his active suspension. He resigned from the Labour Party and stood instead as an independent candidate. He received 635 votes, losing his deposit and coming bottom of
14125-413: The world's busiest city airport system . The London Underground is the world's oldest rapid transit system. London's diverse cultures encompass over 300 languages. The 2023 population of Greater London of just under 10 million made it Europe's third-most populous city , accounting for 13.4% of the United Kingdom's population and over 16% of England's population. The Greater London Built-up Area
14250-468: The world's major financial centres . It hosts Europe's largest concentration of higher education institutions , some of which are the highest-ranked academic institutions in the world: Imperial College London in natural and applied sciences , the London School of Economics in social sciences , and the comprehensive University College London . It is the most visited city in Europe and has
14375-639: The world's three most influential global cities . In January 2015, Greater London's population was estimated to be 8.63 million, its highest since 1939. During the Brexit referendum in 2016, the UK as a whole decided to leave the European Union , but most London constituencies voted for remaining. However, Britain's exit from the EU in early 2020 only marginally weakened London's position as an international financial centre. The administration of London
14500-1023: Was bombed by the Germans in the First World War , and during the Second World War , the Blitz and other bombings by the German Luftwaffe killed over 30,000 Londoners, destroying large tracts of housing and other buildings across the city. The tomb of the Unknown Warrior , an unidentified member of the British armed forces killed during the First World War, was buried in Westminster Abbey on 11 November 1920. The Cenotaph , located in Whitehall ,
14625-563: Was "not only a disgrace, but also – to put it simply – an insult to the memory of the victims of the Holocaust." The Campaign for Chris Williamson, established to support him, includes Israeli and British academics, film directors Mike Leigh and Ken Loach , musicians Brian Eno and Roger Waters , journalist John Pilger , actor Miriam Margolyes and comedian Alexei Sayle . In July 2019, more than one hundred signatories, describing themselves as "all Jews", including Noam Chomsky signed
14750-464: Was a social worker in Derby from 1983 to 1986 before working as a welfare rights officer. Williamson joined the Labour Party in 1976. He became a councillor on Derby City Council in 1991. Appointed Chair of Housing, he supported private finance initiative (PFI) projects. Interviewed in 2018, he termed his approach then as "innovative pragmatism", seeking to "be as radical as we possibly could within
14875-423: Was notified of a formal investigation and later suspended from the Labour Party for his comments about the party's response to criticism over its handling of allegations of antisemitism within the party . After an investigation, Williamson was reinstated in June 2019 with a formal warning but was resuspended two days later when the party decided to review the disciplinary decision. In October 2019, Williamson won
15000-437: Was once a common sight throughout London and regional cities in the UK. The British Transport Police are responsible for police services on National Rail , London Underground , Docklands Light Railway and Tramlink services. The Ministry of Defence Police is a special police force in London, which does not generally become involved with policing the general public. The UK's domestic counter-intelligence service ( MI5 )
15125-465: Was resuspended after the Labour Party decided to review the decision. In August 2019, Williamson lodged legal papers with the High Court to challenge Labour's right to resuspend him. On 3 September 2019 additional allegations of misconduct were made against Williamson, resulting in a second suspension being imposed. Williamson's barrister said "It appears from the timing ... that the purpose of
15250-834: Was still in nappies, I was an active member of the Anti-Nazi League, physically confronting foul racists and anti-Semites in the National Front." In October 2019, the Union of Jewish Students and the Nottingham Jewish Society demanded that the University of Nottingham cancel a planned lecture by Williamson. The demand was supported by the Jewish Labour Movement and the Board of Deputies of British Jews. The university said "While
15375-465: Was supervised by polymath Robert Hooke . In 1710, Christopher Wren 's masterpiece, St Paul's Cathedral , was completed, replacing its medieval predecessor that burned in the Great Fire of 1666. The dome of St Paul's dominated the London skyline for centuries, inspiring the artworks and writing of William Blake , with his 1789 poem " Holy Thursday " referring to 'the high dome of Pauls'. During
15500-454: Was trying to stress how much the party has done to tackle anti-Semitism". On 27 February 2019, he was put under formal notice of investigation, and later that day suspended from the party. Labour readmitted Williamson on 26 June 2019 after a National Executive Committee panel considered his case and issued him with a formal warning. A party source said: "An NEC panel, advised by an independent barrister, found Chris Williamson had breached
15625-524: Was unveiled on the same day, and is the focal point for the National Service of Remembrance held annually on Remembrance Sunday , the closest Sunday to 11 November. The 1948 Summer Olympics were held at the original Wembley Stadium , while London was still recovering from the war. From the 1940s, London became home to many immigrants, primarily from Commonwealth countries such as Jamaica, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, making London one of
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