The GLA is unique in the British devolved and local government system, in terms of structure (it uses a presidential system-esque model), elections and selection of powers.

The Mayor proposes policy and the GLA's budget, and makes appointments to the capital's strategic executive such as Transport for London.

[2] The GLA is based at City Hall in the London Borough of Newham, situated next to the redeveloped Royal Victoria Dock in Canning Town.

On abolition, the strategic functions of the GLC were transferred to bodies controlled by central government or joint boards nominated by the London borough councils.

The Labour Party never supported the abolition of the GLC and made it a policy to re-establish some form of citywide elected authority.

After Labour won the 1997 general election, the policy was outlined in a white paper entitled A Mayor and Assembly for London (March 1998).

Simultaneously with the elections to the London Borough councils, a referendum was held on the establishment of the GLA in May 1998, which was approved with 72% of the vote.

However, in a controversial election campaign, the then prime minister, Tony Blair, attempted to block the nomination of Livingstone, a factional rival, and imposed his own candidate.

For the first two years of its existence, the Greater London Authority was based at Romney House, 47 Marsham Street in Westminster.

[4] Between July 2002 and December 2021, the Greater London Authority was based at a building known as City Hall in Southwark, on the banks of the River Thames, close to Tower Bridge.

City Hall was designed by Norman Foster and constructed at a cost of £43 million[5] on a site formerly occupied by wharves serving the Pool of London.

Although County Hall's old council chamber is still intact, the building is unavailable for use by the GLA because of its conversion into, among other things, a luxury hotel, amusement arcade and aquarium.

[citation needed] As of 2006, London generates 42 million tonnes of carbon emissions per year, 7% of the UK's total.

After the 2024 elections, Labour has the largest representation on the GLA with the mayor as well as eleven assembly members, followed by eight from the Conservatives, three Greens, two from the Liberal Democrats, and one from Reform UK.