Michael Ward was elected a member of the Greater London Council in May 1981, winning the marginal constituency of Wood Green, in Haringey. At the first group meeting of the Labour council members after the election, he became chair of the Industry and Employment committee. Before the election Michael had led the work of developing an economic programme for the GLC – a new field for the Council, but one which it could assume using its general powers. The key elements of the programme included commitments to prepare a London Industrial Strategy, and to establish a Greater London Enterprise Board.
A staff team, led by the visionary socialist economist Robin Murray – https://robinmurray.co.uk/about-robin-murray – was hired to lead the programme, and write the industrial strategy. Murray was joined by Mike Cooley, of the Lucas Aerospace Shop Stewards Committee https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/sep/17/mike-cooley-obituary ; https://president.ie/en/media-library/news-releases/statement-on-the-death-of-mike-cooley , and the socialist feminist campaigner Hilary Wainwright. The other two founding members of the team were Nick Sharman, who had been Assistant Secretary of the South-East Region TUC, and Peter Brayshaw.
The Industrial Strategy was published in 1985.
It was launched by Michael Ward and the Labour leader Neil Kinnock:
The strategy looks at the decline of traditional sectors in London – the docks, the print industry, food and clothing manufacture. But it also highlights domestic labour and childcare. It emphasises the importance of cultural industries in London – not just the subsidized arts, but film, video, publishing and music.
Further plans covered the labour market – the London Labour Plan (1986) – and the financial sector – London Financial Strategy.