well hello hopefully I can cheer you up before
before
before lunch today’s world is as much about
lunch today’s world is as much about
lunch today’s world is as much about cities as it is about Nations and so I
cities as it is about Nations and so I
cities as it is about Nations and so I want to suggest you
want to suggest you
want to suggest you I want to suggest to you that people who
I want to suggest to you that people who
I want to suggest to you that people who wear hats like this are perhaps mistaken
wear hats like this are perhaps mistaken
wear hats like this are perhaps mistaken in how they think the world works
because it was today cities are as
because it was today cities are as important as nations and indeed that
important as nations and indeed that
important as nations and indeed that news this week seems to back me up when
news this week seems to back me up when
news this week seems to back me up when Donald Trump pulled out of the Paris
Donald Trump pulled out of the Paris
Donald Trump pulled out of the Paris climate deal just a few days ago dozens
climate deal just a few days ago dozens
climate deal just a few days ago dozens of Mayors in US cities said they were
of Mayors in US cities said they were
of Mayors in US cities said they were going to implement the deal anyway so
going to implement the deal anyway so
going to implement the deal anyway so cities were acting autonomously outside
cities were acting autonomously outside
cities were acting autonomously outside of the nation-state so cities are more
of the nation-state so cities are more
of the nation-state so cities are more important than nations and so I guess
important than nations and so I guess
important than nations and so I guess that means I don’t really need this hat
so more than half the world’s population
so more than half the world’s population lives in cities and almost the entire
lives in cities and almost the entire
lives in cities and almost the entire the majority of the world’s economy is
the majority of the world’s economy is
the majority of the world’s economy is represented by about 400 cities most of
represented by about 400 cities most of
represented by about 400 cities most of the world cities today or many of the
the world cities today or many of the
the world cities today or many of the world’s today are more populous they are
world’s today are more populous they are
world’s today are more populous they are more internationally connected they have
more internationally connected they have
more internationally connected they have more economic weight they are more
more economic weight they are more
more economic weight they are more diplomatic important than dozens of the
diplomatic important than dozens of the
diplomatic important than dozens of the world’s nation-states
world’s nation-states
world’s nation-states cities today are more transnational in
cities today are more transnational in
cities today are more transnational in their outlook and activities than the
their outlook and activities than the
their outlook and activities than the nation states they have a larger
nation states they have a larger
nation states they have a larger international footprint than dozens of
international footprint than dozens of
international footprint than dozens of nation states or even the nation states
nation states or even the nation states
nation states or even the nation states which they are in so what I’m going to
which they are in so what I’m going to
which they are in so what I’m going to suggest is the map you all learnt at
suggest is the map you all learnt at
suggest is the map you all learnt at school the map that perhaps is on your
school the map that perhaps is on your
school the map that perhaps is on your study wall the map of the world’s
study wall the map of the world’s
study wall the map of the world’s nation-states is no longer that useful
nation-states is no longer that useful
nation-states is no longer that useful and that you need to change the map in
and that you need to change the map in
and that you need to change the map in your head if you are to understand
your head if you are to understand
your head if you are to understand London after brexit really the image I
London after brexit really the image I
London after brexit really the image I want you to have in your heads is like a
want you to have in your heads is like a
want you to have in your heads is like a satellite image of the earth at night
satellite image of the earth at night
satellite image of the earth at night because in images like this this is
because in images like this this is
because in images like this this is Europe at night it is the cities that
Europe at night it is the cities that
Europe at night it is the cities that stand out as the most important feature
stand out as the most important feature
stand out as the most important feature not the nation’s so that’s the image I’d
not the nation’s so that’s the image I’d
not the nation’s so that’s the image I’d like you to carry in your head and it is
like you to carry in your head and it is
like you to carry in your head and it is because it affects that globalization is
because it affects that globalization is
because it affects that globalization is a worldwide network of cities that
a worldwide network of cities that
a worldwide network of cities that London in a way is already after brexit
London in a way is already after brexit
London in a way is already after brexit ok London is already bypassing the
ok London is already bypassing the
ok London is already bypassing the nation-state in in many ways when the
nation-state in in many ways when the
nation-state in in many ways when the United Kingdom decided to exit the
United Kingdom decided to exit the
United Kingdom decided to exit the European Union you know not last year as
European Union you know not last year as
European Union you know not last year as it were that left London in a pretty
it were that left London in a pretty
it were that left London in a pretty peculiar position
peculiar position
peculiar position because London is a global city and
because London is a global city and
because London is a global city and London lives off its connections to the
London lives off its connections to the
London lives off its connections to the world London is one of the world’s
world London is one of the world’s
world London is one of the world’s leading global cities one of the world’s
leading global cities one of the world’s
leading global cities one of the world’s leading if not the leading global city
leading if not the leading global city
leading if not the leading global city and a leading international financial
and a leading international financial
and a leading international financial centre and so that left it in this
centre and so that left it in this
centre and so that left it in this position of being someone that needs to
position of being someone that needs to
position of being someone that needs to be involved in the world somewhere
be involved in the world somewhere
be involved in the world somewhere that’s living off its connections but
that’s living off its connections but
that’s living off its connections but really what the thing about London is
really what the thing about London is
really what the thing about London is that it’s it’s involved in transnational
that it’s it’s involved in transnational
that it’s it’s involved in transnational urban networks which means that in many
urban networks which means that in many
urban networks which means that in many ways brexit isn’t as important as you
ways brexit isn’t as important as you
ways brexit isn’t as important as you might think for its future in the
might think for its future in the
might think for its future in the referendum almost 60% of Londoners and
referendum almost 60% of Londoners and
referendum almost 60% of Londoners and voted for remain maybe many of you here
voted for remain maybe many of you here
voted for remain maybe many of you here did but soon after around them
did but soon after around them
did but soon after around them soon after the referendum and there were
soon after the referendum and there were
soon after the referendum and there were many calls straight away for London to
many calls straight away for London to
many calls straight away for London to become a kind of independent city-state
become a kind of independent city-state
become a kind of independent city-state autonomous from the rest of United
autonomous from the rest of United
autonomous from the rest of United Kingdom there were calls for so called
Kingdom there were calls for so called
Kingdom there were calls for so called London’s for for London to be a kind of
London’s for for London to be a kind of
London’s for for London to be a kind of Singapore on the Thames do you remember
Singapore on the Thames do you remember
Singapore on the Thames do you remember there was even an online petition do you
there was even an online petition do you
there was even an online petition do you remember where hundreds of thousands of
remember where hundreds of thousands of
remember where hundreds of thousands of people signed up for London to go it
people signed up for London to go it
people signed up for London to go it alone and to leave the UK behind now
alone and to leave the UK behind now
alone and to leave the UK behind now superficially that idea perhaps makes
superficially that idea perhaps makes
superficially that idea perhaps makes some sense
some sense
some sense ever since the 1970s London has become
ever since the 1970s London has become
ever since the 1970s London has become more detached from the UK in many ways
more detached from the UK in many ways
more detached from the UK in many ways in the UK but not of the UK and that is
in the UK but not of the UK and that is
in the UK but not of the UK and that is because London since the 1970s with
because London since the 1970s with
because London since the 1970s with globalization has become a city that
globalization has become a city that
globalization has become a city that belongs to the world back in the year
belongs to the world back in the year
belongs to the world back in the year 2000 to turn the millennium this cover
2000 to turn the millennium this cover
2000 to turn the millennium this cover of Newsweek magazine really sort of
of Newsweek magazine really sort of
of Newsweek magazine really sort of captures what I’m talking about today
captures what I’m talking about today
captures what I’m talking about today and in this image the famous t-shirt I
and in this image the famous t-shirt I
and in this image the famous t-shirt I Love New York has been changed to I love
Love New York has been changed to I love
Love New York has been changed to I love nylon and that was done to emphasize the
nylon and that was done to emphasize the
nylon and that was done to emphasize the strength of the connections between the
strength of the connections between the
strength of the connections between the world’s two leading global cities and
world’s two leading global cities and
world’s two leading global cities and international financial centers just how
international financial centers just how
international financial centers just how tied up the two cities have become as
tied up the two cities have become as
tied up the two cities have become as other networks are on the rise they are
other networks are on the rise they are
other networks are on the rise they are what globalization is about rather than
what globalization is about rather than
what globalization is about rather than about relations between nation-states
there are two main arguments that people
there are two main arguments that people make about London becoming independent
make about London becoming independent
make about London becoming independent people who campaign for lunch become
people who campaign for lunch become
people who campaign for lunch become independent say two things mainly the
independent say two things mainly the
independent say two things mainly the first one is about subsidy it’s the idea
first one is about subsidy it’s the idea
first one is about subsidy it’s the idea that London pays more to UK that it gets
that London pays more to UK that it gets
that London pays more to UK that it gets back and that is indeed true London pays
back and that is indeed true London pays
back and that is indeed true London pays about a fifth of gross domestic product
about a fifth of gross domestic product
about a fifth of gross domestic product war that it gets back from the UK the
war that it gets back from the UK the
war that it gets back from the UK the second argument that’s made is an
second argument that’s made is an
second argument that’s made is an argument about exceptionalism it’s the
argument about exceptionalism it’s the
argument about exceptionalism it’s the idea that London is somehow exceptional
idea that London is somehow exceptional
idea that London is somehow exceptional that London with its sky-high property
that London with its sky-high property
that London with its sky-high property values its skyscrapers it’s foreign
values its skyscrapers it’s foreign
values its skyscrapers it’s foreign billionaires and so on and so forth
billionaires and so on and so forth
billionaires and so on and so forth is a kind of alien country ok an alien
is a kind of alien country ok an alien
is a kind of alien country ok an alien world that is so different to the rest
world that is so different to the rest
world that is so different to the rest of the UK than it has this it could be
of the UK than it has this it could be
of the UK than it has this it could be an independent city-state but of course
an independent city-state but of course
an independent city-state but of course is London really going to become like
is London really going to become like
is London really going to become like Monaco to become a kind of Singapore
Monaco to become a kind of Singapore
Monaco to become a kind of Singapore it’s that really going to happen
it’s that really going to happen
it’s that really going to happen such ideas are provocative but
such ideas are provocative but
such ideas are provocative but exaggerated London doesn’t even have a
exaggerated London doesn’t even have a
exaggerated London doesn’t even have a real history of political independence
real history of political independence
real history of political independence having a mayor is a relatively recent
having a mayor is a relatively recent
having a mayor is a relatively recent firown’ err little dependence then is
firown’ err little dependence then is
firown’ err little dependence then is perhaps something of a
perhaps something of a
perhaps something of a pipe dream but that said London’s London
pipe dream but that said London’s London
pipe dream but that said London’s London in many ways is its interest don’t map
in many ways is its interest don’t map
in many ways is its interest don’t map onto the UK London is different in in
onto the UK London is different in in
onto the UK London is different in in those ways its interests don’t
those ways its interests don’t
those ways its interests don’t necessarily map map on to those of the
necessarily map map on to those of the
necessarily map map on to those of the United Kingdom the fact of the matter is
United Kingdom the fact of the matter is
United Kingdom the fact of the matter is that London is at the center of a
that London is at the center of a
that London is at the center of a worldwide network of cities what I
worldwide network of cities what I
worldwide network of cities what I called almost 20 years ago a new matter
called almost 20 years ago a new matter
called almost 20 years ago a new matter geography the world city network network
geography the world city network network
geography the world city network network and the truth of the matter is that
and the truth of the matter is that
and the truth of the matter is that London in many ways is already
London in many ways is already
London in many ways is already independent deal or no deal with the
independent deal or no deal with the
independent deal or no deal with the European Union
European Union
European Union London’s destiny its future is already
London’s destiny its future is already
London’s destiny its future is already in a way in its own hands ok London
in a way in its own hands ok London
in a way in its own hands ok London needs to be confident to assert itself
needs to be confident to assert itself
needs to be confident to assert itself on the world stage as the world’s
on the world stage as the world’s
on the world stage as the world’s leading global city
London’s bypassing of the nation-state
London’s bypassing of the nation-state is already happening and in that sense
is already happening and in that sense
is already happening and in that sense London is already after brexit the world
London is already after brexit the world
London is already after brexit the world has changed to warn which is
has changed to warn which is
has changed to warn which is predominantly about intercity relations
predominantly about intercity relations
predominantly about intercity relations rather than relations between
rather than relations between
rather than relations between nation-states and that is why we can be
nation-states and that is why we can be
nation-states and that is why we can be more confident in London’s future than
more confident in London’s future than
more confident in London’s future than perhaps we might have been led to think
perhaps we might have been led to think
perhaps we might have been led to think London is the world’s leading global
London is the world’s leading global
London is the world’s leading global city so stay strong London be confident
city so stay strong London be confident
city so stay strong London be confident thank you
”
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