What is the Lord Mayor’s Banquet?
The Lord Mayor’s Banquet is a prestigious event that takes place annually in the United Kingdom. It is held to celebrate the new incumbent of the office of Lord Mayor in one of the main cities with a ceremonial post, such as London, Birmingham, and Manchester. The banquet dates back over 800 years and has been attended by royal figures, dignitaries, and city officials throughout its history.
The first recorded Lord Mayor’s Banquet was held in 1215 when King John granted a charter to London allowing it to elect its own mayor, who was responsible for the administration of justice and other civic matters. The mayor at that time was Henry Fitz-Ailwin and he celebrated his appointment with a lavish banquet.
In the following years, the mayor’s annual dinner was hosted by other rulers such as Edward I and Henry VIII. The event has since gone through numerous changes, but its core purpose remains the same: to celebrate and recognize the new Lord Mayor of London.
Today, the Lord Mayor’s Banquet is hosted in the historic Guildhall of London. The evening consists of a formal dinner, speeches, and performances from prominent figures and a procession through the streets of London. It is attended by members of the City’s livery companies, invited guests, and representatives from major international banks and financial institutions based in the city.
The Lord Mayor’s Banquet continues to be a grand affair and provides the perfect opportunity for Londoners to celebrate their city. It is an important part of Britain’s cultural heritage, offering an insight into its vibrant past.
Official UK Government Speech Outine for UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The Prime Minister will set out his vision for a foreign policy which stands up for the UK’s values throughout the world, and uses a strong domestic economy to underpin our relationships overseas in a speech today (Monday 28th October).
Addressing the Lord Mayor’s Banquet the Prime Minister, who has forged strong relationships with international partners in his first month in office at the COP27 and G20 Summits and in meetings with the head of NATO and President of Ukraine, will outline his ambitions for the UK’s overseas policy.
International relations.
The Prime Minister will argue that states like Russia and China plan for the long-term and the UK needs to follow suit. He will stress the importance of reinvigorating relationships in Europe while also deepening ties in the Indo-pacific.
He is expected to say:
Freedom and openness have always been the most powerful forces for progress. But they have never been achieved by standing still.
Under my leadership we won’t choose the status quo. We will do things differently.
We will evolve, anchored always by our enduring belief in freedom, openness and the rule of law and confident that, in this moment of challenge and competition, our interests will be protected and our values will prevail.
War in Ukraine update.
A week after he visited the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv to meet President Zelenskyy, the Prime Minister will point to the UK’s overwhelming demonstration of support to the Ukrainian people as evidence of the strength of the UK’s values.
The Prime Minister will underscore his commitment to supporting the people of Ukraine in the face of horrific Russian aggression.
He is expected to say:
Ukrainian flags have flown over almost every town and city on these islands for the last nine months. No one told people to put them there.
They felt moved to show solidarity with people they have never met, in a country most have never visited, to show their faith in fairness, freedom and the rule of law.
…Be in no doubt. We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. We will maintain or increase our military aid next year. And we will provide new support for air defence, to protect the Ukrainian people and the critical infrastructure that they rely on.
By protecting Ukraine, we protect ourselves.
International security issues.
The UK is currently in the process of revising and updating the 2021 Integrated Review of security, defence, development and foreign policy to take account of the huge geopolitical shifts we have seen since the review was published, including the sharpening of inter-state competition due to the actions of countries like Russia, China and Iran.
This review will ensure that the UK remains on the cutting-edge of defence and security policy, keeping us safe around the world as we strengthen our foundations at home. It will set out the importance of building strong ties in Europe in the era after the UK’s departure from the EU, while also deepening partnerships in other parts of the world.
Stressing the importance of evolving and adapting to new challenges and threats, the Prime Minister is expected to say:
Our adversaries and competitors plan for the long term. In the face of these challenges, short-termism or wishful thinking will not suffice…
…So we will make an evolutionary leap in our approach. This means being stronger in defending our values and the openness on which our prosperity depends.
It means delivering a stronger economy at home – because it is the foundation of our strength abroad.
And it means standing up to our competitors, not with grand rhetoric but with robust pragmatism.
Importance of this event.
This evening’s Lord Mayor’s Banquet is an annual event where the Prime Minister has the opportunity to address business leaders, international dignitaries and foreign policy experts on the subject of foreign policy. It will be the first major foreign policy speech given by Rishi Sunak since he became Prime Minister.
Source: THX News , South African Government & The UK Government.
