The Londoner: More Masons than women on council

There are more Freemasons than women on the City of London Corporation’s Court of Common Council. Documents have highlighted a diversity problem, as well as drawing attention to the potentially disproportionate influence of the Freemasons.

An email chain leaked to The Londoner shows that the 125-strong council contains 24 women and 32 members of the Freemasons. The revelation raises questions over whether it’s appropriate for the group, which does not admit women, to maintain such a strong presence. The Court of Common Council is the primary decision-making body of the corporation, responsible for representing the City’s diverse workforce and more than 9,000 citizens.

The influence of Freemasons on the council has been under scrutiny for some time. Minutes for a City Standards Committee meeting in 2016 state that “a member commented that, whilst he was nervous speaking on the subject, he questioned whether Freemasonry could lead to political interference or unconscious bias”.

There were also suggestions that the Freemasons, whose headquarters are found in Covent Garden, received reduced rates for the use of City property. In the minutes of a separate Standards Committee meeting, when questioned about “the use of the Guildhall Crypts by the Masonic lodges”, it is recorded that “the Town Clerk added that she had been informed that the lodges received preferential rates on the basis that they had clear City of London/Member links”.

“It is not appropriate that an all-male society is allowed preferential use of a public building,” Labour councillor for Farringdon Within Thomas Anderson told us yesterday when asked for comment. “I am at a loss to why the Freemasons are allowed special treatment.” A representative of City of London Corporation denied that the suggestions reflected policy.

Approached by The Londoner, the United Grand Lodge of England responded:

"Freemasonry teaches its members a system of values, good conduct and service to others. We understand that The Guildhall Lodge is charged on the same basis as the Guildhall Historical Society and many other members’ groups unconnected with Freemasonry. If those who made these allegations had spoken to the many Freemasons (both male and female) amongst their own number, but who are often afraid to be open about their membership because of prejudiced and archaic views about Freemasonry, they would have realised that Freemasonry is a force for good in society."

Tribune relaunch

Tribune magazine, the former home of George Orwell and Michael Foot, is being relaunched at the Labour Party conference this weekend. The magazine will be printed bi-monthly and is being edited by Ronan Burtenshaw, previously the Europe editor at Jacobin magazine. Mark Seddon, Burtenshaw’s predecessor, gives his endorsement. “Tribune has been Labour’s living heartbeat; the first to warn against appeasing Hitler, to campaign against nuclear weapons and apartheid South Africa,” he tells us. “A couple of years ago, that heart beat faltered. Now it is back! And about time!”

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The last resting place of Karl Marx and George Eliot is running out of room. A new report expresses concern that Highgate Cemetery may soon be too full to offer new burial plots. Chief executive Dr Ian Dungavell says “there are ways of making room”, including methods called “cramming” and “mounding”, but they may not be suitable for the Grade I-listed site.

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John Niven has followed up novel Kill Your Friends with the more broad Kill ’Em All, launching it at Mortimer House last night. “My protagonist is so bad he’s good,” Niven told us. “He loves all the totally awful things in life like Brexit and Trump, so is like a massive filter and cipher on my own life. Everyone should have one.”

The Night Of star Riz's take on Man Booker shortlist

An evening of culture in London last night. The Serpentine Gallery hosted a party to mark the Man Booker Prize shortlist announcement. Judges Kwame Anthony Appiah, Leanne Shapton, Jacqueline Rose and Leo Robson seemed in good spirits after a mammoth undertaking: they had to read 171 books. The list features Washington Black, a story about a slave who escapes a sugar plantation in the Caribbean; and Milkman, about a young woman’s plight during The Troubles in Northern Ireland. But actor Riz Ahmed, star of The Night Of and Rogue One, seems to have made up his mind: he was spotted carrying a copy of Robin Robertson’s book The Long Take — a noir narrative that follows the life of a traumatised D-Day veteran.

Over in the West End, the Royal Opera House reopened after a three-year revamp, toasted by actor Diane Morgan — best known for playing hapless TV historian character Philomena Cunk — and comedian Shappi Khorsandi.

SW1A

Liz Truss has been busy in America this month, talking up free-trade at libertarian think-tank the Cato Institute and chowing down on hot dogs at NFL games. Yesterday the Chief Secretary to the Treasury perched on a Cleveland harbour chain for an Instagram snap, which was captioned “Britannia Unchained”. Truss was one of the authors of a book of the same name that was lauded by deregulators. A convenient time to remind Conservatives of her pro-market bona fides.

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A post-Salzburg debrief from Craig Oliver, former director of comms to David Cameron. “The mood at No 10 will be bleak tonight,” he tweeted. “The chances of: No Deal; a general election; Corbyn in No 10; a second referendum, all went up after Tusk’s comments.”

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As Theresa May held a news conference yesterday, the lettering on the wall behind was obscured, cutting down the word “Government” to “Gove”.

Quote of the day

"Looks like it Chequers mate"

Gary Lineker has little sympathy for Theresa May, whose Brexit plan was rejected by Donald Tusk yesterday.

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Has Elle Macpherson split from anti-vaccination activist Andrew Wakefield? The pair were seen kissing in July but she now says she has “two incredible men in my life. My boys.” Macpherson has two sons.