That Gaby Roslin Podcast: Reasons To Be Joyful - The Lady Mayor of London

Episode Date: May 26, 2026

The Lady Mayor of London - Dame Susan Langley - joins Gaby for a natter about joy!They talk about female role models, following your dreams and empowering young women. Sue loves the city of London; the vibrancy, the multiculturalism, the amazing people who live there - and she celebrates this every day. She wants to make sure everyone feels welcome in the city - and want to visit - and she is keen to dispel some of the myths about London - and the negative views some people have. She brings joy and laughter to her role - and is a champion of inclusivity - and we really enjoyed chatting to her for the podcast. We hope you enjoy it too! Remember you can watch all our episodes on our YouTube channel - please do follow and subscribe there, so you never miss an episode!

Welcome to the Lady Mayor. You're the Lady Mayor. You're Mayor of London. Hello, Sue. Hi, I'm delighted to be here. Thanks so much for asking me to come along. But what's so lovely is you do, you are a joy spreader and you want to make a difference. But you're a Lady Mayor.

I am a Lady Mayor. But you're not a Mayor like people hear about in Manchester and London. No, you are the Lady Mayor, like the Lord Mayor and you're the first Lady Mayor. I am. So it's the lawmanor the city of London started way back in 1189. And so almost 800 years. There's actually been three women. So I am the third woman. But I am the first to decide to point out I'm a lady mayor and not a lawman. Because we've got a lady chief justice, Lady Usher of the Black World. And I thought it was time. The city of London had a lady mayor. So how does this work then? Do you sort of wake up a morning and sometimes says, you know what? You should be Lady Mayor. Well, you were entitled and you thought, I want to wear garb and robes. I mean, I have to say that's magnificent around you.

The badge, the diamond badge. It's rather fabulous. It would make a lot of earrings, but sadly, I have to leave you behind it. So how does it actually work in your life soon? Yeah. So, listen, it's such a historic office. And I was, well, I was actually born in YSN. And my mum and dad or my granddad always used to take me to watch the Lord Mayor's show.

Because in November each year, you'll have seen it. The Golden State coach, all of the horses, and I used to sit on my granddad's shoulders. November was always really cold. Wrapped in a scarf, my grand used to have knitted me. And I used to watch and listen out for the horses and the marching bands and then wait for that golden coach to come through with the Lord Mary inside. I have to admit at five or six or whatever,

I never imagined or even thought that I would be part of it, let alone. sitting in that golden coach. In fact, one of the moments I really had, I always say I was born within the Sound of Bow Bells and the first ever Lady Mayor's Parade we had this year, which was brilliant, fun, lots of women in it actually. When you come up past St Mary LeBow, they actually ring peals for the Lord or Lady May as you go by. And I did have one of those moments where you think those bells are ringing out for me. That's just surreal. Surreal. So I love that. So at five years old, proper transgender, you're there.

on the shoulders watching the Lord Mayor in those days go by. But then you go forward a few years and you'll then Dame Sue becoming the Lady Mayor. There's quite a bit that happened obviously in the trainer. The idea that at five, you know, some young people have dreams, hopes, not vision. Yeah, I never heard anything. You didn't have that as a thought. No, I mean, I always call my career an accidental career. So, yeah, I was born in the year, so my dad was a sparking electrician.

But they instilled in me that thought. My dad always used to say anything is possible. Now, I know some things are quite hard, okay, but I grew up with two sentences in my head. Anything is possible and how hard can it be. So I was good at school. They said you should do A-level. Actually, our school didn't have a, didn't have a-level section. So the teachers taught me in their spare time.

I'm in a cleared-out chemistry cupboard, but it wasn't quite Harry Potter. It did have a window. But that was fine to me. And then they said you should go to university. I went to for university, and then I didn't know what to do so I went travelling. Came back, apply for my first job.

Every other one has always found me because I like people. And I've never applied for another job. And it's the same with the mayority about 15 years ago. I was called in for coffee by two previous law bears who said, had I ever thought, you know, potentially. So what were you doing there? So I think I was probably a director of Lloyds of London.

So I had managed to, you know, the next job always found me and I was promoted and I ended up, you know, as the exact director of North America for Lloyds of London. I was then chair of Gallagher. I became a trustee for McMillan. I was the lead executive for the home office because I met all these people and I love people. I said, what do you do? Tell me about it. And maybe I could do that too. and then somebody always called me and said,

we have this role come and talk about it. You just said yes. I was always interviewed. I mean, it wasn't, I was just offered a job. But because I like people, and I always think one of the things in life is,

if you're genuinely curious about people, most of us want to help. I mean, I feel a duty to be able. I do believe there are lots of good people. I genuinely generally believe. Yeah. So the only time I've ever had a moment was it was for a role,

and I was interviewed, it was a non-exec director, when I was interviewed at HM Treasury, and I walked up to the door, and it was a very hot day, and I looked at the brick surrounding, as it said, HM Treasury. And I faltered for a moment. I remember the security guy going in or out, and I actually walked out, and I sat on the little wall outside,

and I thought, get over yourself, stand up and go in. But that's the only time, and I think maybe not minding whether you get a job or not. It's a bit like the mailty. I said, well, why would I do that? Can I make a difference? In fact, I might have said at the time, because I thought it was quite funny, that I was allergic to fair and red wasn't my colour. Okay, so it wasn't something I chased. So, wait, okay, so let's go back to it.

You say that two ex-lord mayors called you in for a cup of tea. Yeah. Have a cup of tea. Yeah. Don't right? Take me through that conversation 15 years ago. So I'd obviously, to be Lord or Lady Mayor, you're basically the ambassador for financial and professional services for the city of UK. sorry, for the city and for the UK.

So you have to have a fairly senior financial background. There's only been two women before. Sadly, there's still not that many senior women in the city. So they do single a few of us out, almost like prospects, to bring people in, say, have you ever thought of this? Because, you know, we need different people to come and step forward. I think I didn't have imposter syndrome, but I remember being completely taken aback. I think more because of an East End background

because it makes you more real Maybe You're in touch with You know Like you said Your dad was an electrician Yeah

You just You sat on the shoulders When you were a kid You were from the East End You know what's going on Yeah I hope so I just thought

Why would I suppose I thought What difference can I make Because I thought it was ceremonial I was thinking Golden Coach Red robes You know

A lot of fur Lots of ceremony Lots of bands but that's less than 8%. And gradually over those 15 years, after me, I said no at the time. Oh, did you? Yeah, I said no.

I said it's not for me. I can't make a difference. I did say it's too ceremonial. But each year, somebody would always have coffee with me. And then eventually I began to see the other side of it. And it was actually one of my mentors that tipped me over the edge. So that approached me again. And I said, no, I'm not going to do it.

and I was telling one of my mentors. And she said, why not? And I said, because there's so many things we can do in life and I want to make a difference. And I think this could be quite hard to change. It needs some gentle modernisation. And, you know, I'm not sure I can do that. And she said, Sue, you are always telling us

that to change things, someone has to go first. And if not you, then who? So what example are you setting us? And I thought, ah. Oh, that's a great answer. A great thing to hear. Actually, it was the kick up the bottom that you needed. So I, yeah, I probably thought something quite rude in my head.

And so I stood and got elected because I do think she's right. You have to be elected. You do. There's an election. The city of London is divided into 25 areas, a bit like local councils, if you like, has a number of councillors, like our local councillors. And then each one has one alderman, elder man that used to look after the business interests of the ward. And they always were elder men.

But that's the way society was, okay? That's the way we're. But it's changing. So I got elected as an elder woman. So I started off as an alderman. And then about two weeks later, a friend of mine said, why are you an old man, not an old woman? I thought fair point.

So I became an older woman. And then there is a process you go through. So not every order man, a woman becomes law. You have to become sheriff of the city of London before that. There's an interview process. I did have a sword. I wasn't allowed to take it anywhere with me there. So there is an interview process based on your background, your CV and your interview and your references and stuff.

And then you find yourself one day dressed in that red robe, dressed in that fur, dressed in that tricorn hat and in that golden carriage. And now, I love the idea that when you're in a carriage that you just thought, those bells are for me. That's so moving. It's lovely. But the big thing that you want to do is you want to change people's perceptions. you want to give people anybody the chance. And that's why we wanted to talk to you on this,

because I think a lot of people think of the city of London as the financial area and it's just money, money, money and men, you know, people have, and it's only because of films that we've seen or books or whatever. It's always portrayed like that over the years. And yet you want to give everybody a chance. You're a big, you know, the charity work that you do. But it's very much about anyone. one can do what they want to do. That's what you believe, don't you? I do. I think there's two things

in what you said. I think the city gets a bad rep in the narrative because people think money, money, money, business. I mean, the businesses in the city of London pay for half the NHS. You know, there's a lot of social good the city does. And for some reason now, we don't see. But it's the films that we see. But no, I completely agree. So, you know, that's the reason that I stood. And I'm really embarrassed to say it's taken me this long to realize how what an impact seeing someone like you can have because because of my mum and dad I've just wandered through life going on that. It was interesting. I'll try that and I've thought if I fail, I fell. But we had so many, we had 697 city women to represent. I was the 697th little male when we were going past all the little girls and

stuff. I spent the entire show stressed because all I could hear. So I was waving on one side. I could hear, oh, I can't see her. She's the wrong side. So you'd bounce over. All you could hear is. But the next day... It's those little girls saying that could be me.

The next day, my inbox overflowed with emails and notes from parents saying it's really important to see senior representation. My daughter now wants to be Lady Mary. I did single out the boys as well, like West Ham's shirt or not. Don't mention West Ham. You know, so I was trying to see. people out but I just had so many and I had one as well as an East Ender well I had a couple I still get letters each week actually one said sue I've been in the city for 20 years I was born in the East End too and I never truly felt I belonged until the day of your show

and I had a letter just last week actually from someone who's a senior woman in the city and she said I've never told anyone this sue but I was born in a council estate and I've never talked about it and people assume I'm privately educated and she said and you've finally giving me permission to be myself. Okay, that's very moving, but also really sad that somebody felt that they couldn't be themselves, because there's too much judgment out there, isn't there? Yes, and also there's also something, you know, you don't want to talk about your background as a, I get slightly embarrassed.

Like, if I say, do you know I was born, you know, in the East End and now I'm Dame, Susan Langley and the lady mayor of the city of London? Because it almost feels like I'm saying, look at me, and I'm genuinely not. No, of course you're not. It makes you slightly cringe. It makes me cringe. Somebody called me a role model and I did that typical. Oh, no, this old thing.

I've had it ages. But we've got to be less British about it because I've now realised that for lots of people, it does matter. And you can be very massive of the fact, okay, so my dad was an electrician. Great. So what? And, you know, your dad was an investment banker or a surgeon or so what? We're all the same.

And I just think without being... I'm going to say I'm British. Without making a thing of it, I just think we need to be more open. Giving people permission or why can't people feel they can just be themselves? I probably didn't talk about my back. I talk about my background more now because I realize it matters. I didn't hide it, but I didn't talk about it. So now being Dame Sue, Lady Mayor, that you've got still another six months to go.

what do you want your legacy to be? So when you're done and it's over, what would you like people say, do you know what she did? She did, apart from people feeling comfortable just to be themselves, which I think is lovely.

I think that's a massive thing. The feedback so far, I think that people see the malty as more tangible, achievable, normal. So I'm trying really hard to make sure that the malty is not about me, it's about a brand. I mean, different people sit here every 12 months, okay, but the morality continues from 1189,

and that's what makes it so strong. So making it less about the person and more about the role, but also making people realize it can be done in different ways. So, you know, a quirky example for the charity piece that you mentioned, every lawman normally does a ride-out

around the city, on horses, to various places, collects money. I am doing a ride-out. We're sponsored by Triumph and we've got 150 motorbikes. Oh, really? Yes. I'm hoping we've got the UK's fastest lady, Rio Costello, who will be leading it, although I have told you it's 20 miles per round in the city. So it's just being, making roles more human. Somebody said to me the other day that we forget how excluding ceremony and hierarchy can be, that it makes some people uncomfortable, especially if you've got meses and swords and hats and things.

I just want to make people realise it's a role like any other that they can do too. And just to make it a bit more human, a little bit more modern and make sure people are clear it is a business-focused role. We wear those hats on very few occasions. And the other thing is that it's about inclusivity. And I know that the parade, everybody, everybody. everybody, whatever their background, wherever their families may have been born

years and years and years ago, whatever, all religion, everyone, everyone was there. And that is wonderful because I think everyone has an idea, you know, there were, obviously the news is very bleak and very dark and we don't need to go into that, but there are people who have a view of London. And you want people to not have that. You're saying you're all where everybody is welcome, aren't you?

No, look, absolutely, because they say, there's a saying talent is everywhere opportunity is not, but actually there's huge opportunity in London. I mean, number of jobs in London since COVID is up 25%. One of the things we've done, though, is that confidence thing. So when I was talking to some of the students in schools before, they said, you know, we can see the city from our classroom windows, but it's not for us. Now that devastates me, that someone would ever think that. Because I never thought that, but that's because I was lucky enough to be given that resilience and confidence.

So one of the really good things we did this year, City Insight Day, so we got a load of the city businesses to open their doors to bring in those students and tell them about the careers and that it wasn't scary. So those students came in at the beginning of the day with a really tiny percentage saying the city was for them. 86% at the end of that day left saying they could see themselves in the city. Oh, that's so lovely. So it's just that it's quite often people talk about skills and training and stuff. Of course they're important. But it's that confidence thing. You know, what happens if you step into something that looks like an alien environment or too posh or too?

I asked one of the kids, what do you think of the city? And he said, it's an awful lot of steel and glass, you know. But that was the overriding impression. What impression does something give you that might not be the right one? Because it's hugely welcoming, huge, great careers, you know, in the city of London. So in your time now, you've met some extraordinary people as well. You just, so when you meet these people, please tell me that every so often that five-year-old on the shoulder just thinks, you know, you go, you go home to it with your husband and you go, you will never guess who I met. You know, because it is, it's this wonderful role that you're in for the year and you're trying to make a difference.

But there is also some excitement, come on. Yeah, there are a few pieces. I mean, I always remind myself that they are meeting the lady mayor of the city of London. That sounds like I'm not too long or whatever. But there were some surreal moments. So there was one a couple of weeks ago, when the king comes into the city of London. Because I am the premier citizen of the city of London. There is a ceremony where you hold a...

That's who I was talking about, actually. Yeah, okay, okay. Well, it was in the press. So there is a pearl sword that you hold. So some people think that the king has to understand. permission. That's not true. There's a ceremony with the pearl sword which actually symbolises the king real asserting that you have continued authority over the city. So we had to practice and this pearl salt is pretty big, you know, and it's quite heavy. And I was to be afraid of

dropping it on him. Oh no, can you imagine? And I was walking up. Okay, so I've got heels, a long robe and a pearl sword and then walking up steps of some paws and all the way through and then leave him and then place him the sword. I was fine. Absolutely. fine. The last thing I had to do was pick up the sword again, which was a bit tricky, because there was a bit of a pick it up by the hill and a flick of the hand to actually, and that was one bit when I was looking

quite worried, and I thought he was looking quite worried, too. But no, you do feel afterwards when he left and you're still standing there, you think, well, that was just a bit. I wish my mum and dad was still around. I have to say that. Of course. But, yeah, there's some moments like that. I'll be watching over and just

thinking, she nearly hit the king with a pearl sword. Oh, you're overseas and you've got police outriders and things and it's just slightly, yeah. I hope you sit with your husband and just giggle about some of it. Some of it, you have to, in a nice way, you think, yes, you're right. Isn't that just happen? Yeah. Stay banquets or welcomes or big speeches and those kind of things are super.

I think this is the kind of job you sit down and look back on and think about. Because when you're in the moment, it is just full on. 100 days overseas, like seven days a week. There isn't a moment. Do you never get any time off? August. No, well, I'm counting down. You get what you get, the whole of August. The whole of August.

So the city and the mansion house shut down for August, mainly to, you know, do a bit of refurb and stuff. So August is entirely off. And you live in mansion house. So what is it like in mansion house, you know, when you go to bed? Can you get to run around, mansion house, when nobody's looking? Well, you probably could, but there is some CCTV, so I probably wouldn't want to, not in my dressing gown and cat slippers. Once again, it's a surreal place to live

because it is, think National Trust property, think yellow brocade sofas, think four-poster bed going back to goodness knows how many hundreds of years with a step up because it's a very big bed. So, chandeliers. So you have two rooms which aren't huge, but you live in, but they are not our homes. They're not, they're very comfortable.

It's a very nice Airbnb. Yes. Now there's an idea Gabby, yes No, I don't think I think if I put that out there they will be pretty upset. No, no, no.

So it's a great place to entertain to bring people to a lot of people have never been to the mention house and to give them a tour. But you couldn't do this job and not live there because you're out every night so, you know, to get home from there, whatever.

So out every night? Yes. So when you're still the same size at the moment. So you're out every night, Come back to your cat slippers, as you just said, and a dressing gown. Do you have, actually, all jokes like, do you have any time where you can just sit and watch these denders or something? It's very rare. Do you have any you time?

No, it's very rare. Some weekends, if there's not something on, we will go home. And then that's exactly, yeah, lay on a sofa and eat fish fingers and bake beans. I love that picture. A bit of reality. In your robes or in your cat slippers. I have to say, I leave the robes, you know. Robs are not my first.

favorite things to wear the frills and ruffs I still can't quite get used to it's not my colour but no so you have frail and down but this is a year and when I spoke to when my husband and I discussed it so Gary now he said if we're going to do it you do it to your best of your ability okay what is the point of doing anything if it's not to the best your ability so we'll do everything we possibly can to help the city of London to inspire a few others and then I'm going to lay down on the sofa with a blanket over my head oh that's lovely can I please look at that that you have around your neck. So what is this?

The badge. So what is this? So I have to admit to this one being the copy because the one with the four diamonds is in the vault below Mansion House because it's not really allowed to be taken out of there. So this is the badge of office. I think I understand it's a third iteration of them that's three been designed.

And this normally comes with like a gold collar. We think pre-owned by Thomas More. It's called the collar of vesses. But it's basically a symbol of the office. that you wear for the year, but it stays behind when you step down. So sadly, I can't make it into earrings. Oh, my word. Is it very heavy? May I do? Yes. It's quite heavy. Oh, it is heavy. Yeah. It's rather fabulous, though, isn't it? Yeah, it is. It's very nice. So we always ask everybody who comes on this podcast, something that brings them joy, huge joy. I can imagine there's a lot

at the moment. But obviously, you know, family aside, we always say that, what brings you such joy. Well, I could have picked a lot of things, but I picked something to do with this year. So, this is a Girl Guides badge. So the Girl Guides are involved in the show. They help give out the lunches, the packed lunches, because there's 7,000 people take part walking in the show. And afterwards, they wrote me a letter. And they said they were really proud to be in the show with me. I'm really proud that I had been the first to take the term, the lady mare. And in the girl guides, they always recognise achievement with a badge. So they'd made me my very own lady mare's badge, the blonde lady mare. Where are you going to sew it? I don't know. I keep picking it up,

so it's getting a bit grubby. I think it's going to have to go on the arm somewhere, isn't it? Of what? Of what? I don't know, actually. I think I might frame it. Oh, that's nice. Okay. Yeah. Frame it. That's so lovely. But that's really sweet. So yeah, everyone needs to go be a girl guide. Oh, well, thank you very much. It's lovely to talk to you. Congratulations on being the first lady mayor. I know the third maeress, but the first lady mayor. Does that mean that your husband is, what's his title then?

Well, technically, he should be the lady mares because normally the mayor comes with the way, but he's refused to be called that. So he is called the mayoral consults. And I have to say, couldn't do it without him. It's been such an amazing sport. And it's quite a hard job to do when you are with someone who, if you like, is the principal, fun to them, someone's supporting him. But couldn't do without him.

It's been brilliant. Lovely to chat to you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.