The release of data from the 2011 census in England and Wales makes for interesting reading. (Scotland’s census won’t release any equivalent data until some time next year.)
One thing I found very interesting is how different London is. It’s not immediately obvious when you read the bulletins how big this difference is, because they haven’t published the data for England and Wales without London. However, it’s a relatively simple calculation to work this out, so here are a few of the statistical indicators, showing first London, then England and Wales without London, and then England and Wales including London. (I was thinking about excluding Wales from the table, but it was easier to leave it in, and most of the time Wales didn’t seem to be too different from non-London England.)
| London | Rest of England & Wales | Combined | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,174 | 47,902 | 56,076 |
| Population density | 5200/km2 | 321/km2 | 407/km2 |
| Age 65+ | 11.1% (-1.2%) | 17.4% (+0.9%) | 16.4% (+0.5%) |
| White | 59.8% | 90.5% | 86.0% |
| Asian | 18.5% | 5.6% | 7.5% |
| Black | 13.3% | 1.6% | 3.3% |
| English or Welsh national identity | 44.3% | 76.0% | 71.4% |
| British national identity | 38.3% | 27.5% | 29.1% |
| Other national identity | 26.4% | 7.0% | 9.8% |
| Living in detached house | 6.2% | 25.4% | 22.6% |
| Living in semi-detached | 18.6% | 32.8% | 30.7% |
| Living in flat | 37.6% | 12.7% | 16.3% |
| Average no. of cars per household | 0.8 | 1.3 | 1.2 |
London is a wonderful city, and part of its charm is that it’s a truly global city.
What is important is for Londoners to realise that they’re living in a place that is very different from the rest of England and the UK. For instance, Westminster politicians have to be careful not to propose policies based on what would work in the neighbourhood they live in when they’re in London.
Also, one should seriously consider making London independent (or at least a devolved nation inside the UK).