ABSTRACT
The story of the London government reforms present a refreshing contrast, although it had a most unpromising start. In a challenging passage the report declared 'the choice before local government in Greater London is, in truth, to abdicate in favour of central government, or to reform so as to be equipped to deal with present-day problems'. An essential feature of the reform was to bring into existence a second tier on which much larger responsibilities could safely be devolved. But the evidence convinced the Herbert commission that 'notwithstanding the many virtues of local government today the parochial outlook that has been one of the great obstacles to any serious reform of London government is still very much alive'. The far-reaching reforms in Greater London stand out in vivid contrast to the timid and half-hearted attempts to modify the structure in the rest of Britain.
