The archaic demographic distinctions between Inner London and its suburbs continue to become more blurred
Some of the more striking trends confirmed by the last census concerned demographic changes taking place in London’s suburbs. The population of the Outer London boroughs had risen from 4.5 million in 2001 to nearly 5 million by 2011. They had become far more ethnically diverse,with the proportion who were white falling from 74% to 61%. The amount of private renting had nearly doubled to 21% and 58% of all Londoners categorised as living in poverty were Outer Londoners compared with just 50% of them 10 years earlier.
Of course, the Outer London boroughs vary greatly. How much does Richmond contain in common with Barking and Dagenham? Yet it was clear that the archaic, and easy distinctions between gritty Inner and and leafy Outer,between the archetypes that formed EastEnders and Terry and June, were becoming increasingly blurred. Now, and the Centre for London think tank is compiling a report on what it calls this “novel geography of wealth and poverty in the capital” and its implications for public services,civil society and politics.
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Source: theguardian.com