Future City: Bankers and Bonuses: What has the City ever done for London?

The British Library hosts a series of five lectures examining some of the key issues facing London right now, the first of which takes a look at the role of the capital's finance industry.

London has grown rich from its status as an international banking centre. Finance has facilitated innovation across society. But amid recent turmoil and the backlash against bankers, how far can we rely on the banks to support innovation to fuel London's growth? Or should we curb their power?

Speakers:
Billy Bragg, musician
Lord Layard, Emeritus Professor of Economics, Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics and Political Science
Luke Johnson, entrepreneur and chairman of Risk Capital Partners
Daniel Ben-Ami, financial journalist
John Micklethwait, editor-in-chief, The Economist
Chair: Paul Mason, economics editor, Newsnight

Click here to listen to the audio of 'Bankers and Bonuses: What has the City ever done for London?' debate.

Click on the links below for more Future City lecture series events.

• Is London growing too big too fast?
• London and the Olympics: Predicting the legacy of the 21st century
• Is London missing out on the potential of new technologies?
• London and the future: Will we still be a major player in the world in 2050?

This event has been funded by Greater London Authority.