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London's status within the United Kingdom has been debated for several years, with some calls for increased autonomy,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2016/01/30/the-uk-needs-a-devolved-government-for-london/|title=The UK needs a devolved government for London|date=30 January 2016|publisher=}}</ref><ref name="theconversation">{{cite web|url=http://theconversation.com/london-after-brexit-independence-a-non-starter-but-special-status-could-protect-global-position-61609|title=London after Brexit: independence a non-starter but special status could protect global position|first=Richard G|last=Smith|publisher=}}</ref> Supporters have frequently cited Greater London's population of over 8 million people, its economic size, its global role, its diverse population and its unique challenges compared to the rest of [[England]] as reasons for greater autonomy. The idea of London becoming a city-state resurfaced during the [[2014 Scottish independence referendum|Scottish independence referendum of 2014]].<ref name="theconversation" />
The movement for either increased autonomy or full sovereignty received a boost following the [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum]] in 2016, during which the UK as a whole voted to leave the European Union (at under 52% leave), although the majority of London voted for the UK to remain in the EU (60% remain). This led to 180,000 Londoners petitioning [[Sadiq Khan]], [[Mayor of London]] online to seek London's independence from the UK so it could remain part of the EU. Supporters cite London's status as a "[[world city]]" and its demographic and economic differences from the rest of the United Kingdom, and argue that it should become a city-state based on the model of [[Singapore]], while remaining an EU member state.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.sky.com/story/1716977/second-scotland-referendum-highly-likely|title=Second Scotland Referendum 'Highly Likely'}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.london24.com/news/politics/londoners_call_for_independence_from_uk_1_4591200|title=Londoners call for independence from UK|first=Zoah|last=Hedges-Stocks|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625122929/http://www.london24.com/news/politics/londoners_call_for_independence_from_uk_1_4591200|archivedate=25 June 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexit-latest-london-independence-time-to-leave-uk-eu-referendum-sadiq-khan-boris-johnson-a7100601.html|title=It's time for London to leave the UK|date=24 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/wouldnt-you-prefer-to-be-president-sadiq-thousands-back-campaign-for-sadiq-khan-to-declare-londons-a3280141.html|title=Thousands call on Sadiq Khan to declare London's independence|date=24 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/londependence-petition-calls-for-london-to-join-the-eu-on-its-own-a7101006.html|title='Londependence' petition calls for London to join the EU on its own|date=24 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/06/24/londoners-want-their-own-independence-after-brexit-result/|title=Mayor Sadiq Khan demands more autonomy for London after Brexit vote - The Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://metro.co.uk/2016/06/24/70000-sign-petition-for-london-to-become-independent-and-rejoin-the-eu-5965541/|title=70,000 sign petition for London to become independent and rejoin the EU|first=Nicole Morley for|last=Metro.co.uk|date=24 June 2016}}</ref>
[[Spencer Livermore]] of the Labour Party said that London's independence "should be a goal", arguing that a London city-state would have twice the GDP of Singapore.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/eu-referendum-london-independence_uk_576d4c57e4b0d257114993a2|title=London Independence Goes Beyond A Twitter Joke With Politicians Seriously Discussing It|date=24 June 2016}}</ref> Journalist [[Tony Travers]] argued that Khan would be "well within his rights to tell the government London didn't vote for Brexit and that City Hall now viewed the government as dysfunctional." Analyst Kevin Doran said that London becoming an independent state is not just possible, but inevitable "within 20 to 30 years' time."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theweek.co.uk/73896/london-independence-could-the-capital-break-away-from-the-uk|title=London independence: Could the capital break away from the UK?|publisher=}}</ref>
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