London Borough Gets Homosexual Mayor (Press, 7 June 1985)

On 7 June 1985, A.A.P. reported from London on the impending appointment of Councillor Bob Crossman as the new Mayor of the Islington borough, marking a noteworthy shift in the council's leadership. Crossman, who is openly homosexual, plans for his live-in partner, Martin, to hold the title of “Mayoress.” He maintains that his sexual orientation is irrelevant to his mayoral duties. However, this development has drawn mixed reactions from the media, with some newspapers branding it as the latest “political comedy” associated with the Labour-led councils in London, often criticised as “the loony Left” due to their progressive stance on issues like homosexuality, sexism, and racism. At 38 years old, Crossman is currently the Deputy Mayor and is well-regarded for his involvement in homosexual rights advocacy. He expressed his belief that he would be the first openly homosexual Mayor of London and confirmed that Martin would assist him at public events if he is unable to attend. Crossman emphasized his straightforwardness regarding his role and his partner’s position, welcoming media engagement and even posing for photographs. Despite Fleet Street’s humorous take and some outrage over his appointment, there was no objection from fellow councillors, as the Labour party holds a commanding majority in the council. Crossman has stated a personal ambition to lose weight, specifically three stone (about 19kg), for a charity fundraising event. The only opposition to the Labour council comes from three Social Democratic Party (S.D.P.) councillors, one of whom, David Hyams, has expressed support for Crossman, noting his approachable personality and professionalism. The media's focus on “the loony Left” revealed a growing concern, particularly highlighted by the “Daily Mail,” which criticized Labour-controlled councils for prioritising issues like feminism, homosexual rights, and anti-racism over more pressing societal concerns such as crime and housing. As Crossman's mayoral election hinges on Labour maintaining its majority, there was additional controversy brewing in the capital, with reports emerging that a South London group intended to utilise ratepayers' money to fund Britain's inaugural homosexual Olympics. This further escalated debates around priorities and governance under the Labour regime in London, stirring public and media discourse on the council's focus areas.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand