Greater London Council (GLC) badges

In the early 1980s, the Greater London Council (GLC) emerged as one of the boldest political voices for peace in Britain.

A peaceful London 🕊️

Under the leadership of Ken Livingstone, the GLC not only promoted London as an actively peaceful city, he also launched a series of imaginative and visually striking campaigns to support nuclear disarmament and challenge Cold War militarism. Central to this effort were the GLC's badges, posters, pamphlets and street-level initiatives—tools that turned civic resistance into something creative, visible and accessible.

The GLC’s embrace of design, satire and participation marked it out from the typical bureaucratic image of local government. Rather than issuing dry statements, it used graphics, slogans and symbols to galvanise public support and make peace part of everyday political life. From school packs and public murals to badge giveaways and public rallies, the GLC’s campaigns helped normalise anti-nuclear activism in the heart of the capital.

A Nuclear-Free London ☮️

The foundation for the GLC’s peace campaigning was its 1982 declaration of London as a nuclear-free zone. This was a symbolic stance, but not a hollow one. The Council backed it up with education, advocacy and widespread visibility. Badges bearing “Nuclear Free Zone” or “GLC Peace Year” were worn by schoolchildren, teachers, activists and council workers. These small symbols of defiance carried a powerful message: Londoners rejected the logic of nuclear war.

Posters and newsletters followed, illustrating the likely human cost of a nuclear attack on the city. One infamous GLC-published study showed the effect of a one-megaton bomb dropped on central London. Rather than offering false comfort, the GLC emphasised the horrifying truth—there would be no civil defence, only devastation. In doing so, it rejected the government’s advice to "whitewash windows" and "build indoor refuges" as misleading and dangerous.

Peace through participation 🕊️

At the heart of the GLC’s approach was the belief that peace was everyone’s business. Its campaigns encouraged participation, not passive observance. Schools received teaching packs. Local boroughs were urged to adopt peace resolutions. Community halls hosted discussions, theatre groups performed plays about nuclear anxiety, and County Hall opened its doors to peace activists.

GLC Peace Year in 1983 became a rallying point. The council supported peace fairs, educational workshops, exhibitions and concerts. It lent resources to grassroots groups, particularly those aligned with the women's peace movement, anti-racist organisations, and international solidarity campaigns. These weren’t just expressions of protest—they were acts of municipal solidarity with global struggles.

The GLC also supported the Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp and other feminist-led initiatives, recognising the intersection of militarism with gender violence and inequality. Posters from this period often featured bold feminist artwork, slogans like “No More Hiroshimas,” and references to international peace movements.

Anti-racism and solidarity ✊🏾

The GLC’s commitment to peace was rooted in a broader vision of social justice. Racism, both structural and cultural, was seen as part of the same system of oppression that fuelled war, inequality and division. As a result, many of its peace campaigns were deliberately inclusive, promoting solidarity across ethnic and class lines.

The GLC funded and promoted anti-racist groups, supported Black community media and hosted cultural festivals that celebrated London’s diversity. Badges appeared bearing slogans such as “Black People Against the Bomb” and “No Racism – No Nukes.” These weren’t token gestures—they were the visible face of a deeper alignment with anti-racist organising in London’s boroughs.

County Hall became a venue for Afro-Caribbean and Asian cultural events, as well as political forums on police violence, immigration and apartheid. The GLC publicly opposed the Thatcher government's anti-immigration stance and gave platform to South African anti-apartheid activists. In doing so, it drew clear links between colonialism, global militarism and racism at home.

Badges as tools of change 🎨

Among the most enduring symbols of the GLC’s peace campaigns were its badges. Often distributed free at events or sent out to schools, these small pins turned wearers into visible ambassadors of the cause. Designs varied—some featured minimalist text like “GLC Peace Year” or “Nuclear Free Zone,” while others embraced graphic protest art, satire or bold colours. These were not corporate logos but expressions of identity, community and defiance.

The use of badges reflected a broader strategy: to embed peace culture into daily life. Just as wearing a CND badge or Greenham Common rosette expressed resistance, a GLC badge connected the local with the global. These items now appear in museum collections and archives, but they were once worn on parkas, satchels and school jumpers, helping to normalise peace activism among the general public.

Lasting influence 🌍

Though the GLC was abolished in 1986, its influence spread far beyond London. More than 150 councils across Britain declared themselves nuclear-free in its wake, many copying its symbols and campaign strategies. The GLC proved that local government could have a moral voice on global issues—and could communicate that voice with clarity, creativity and humour.

Its badges and campaigns stand as a testament to how municipal politics can take bold ethical stances. Rather than accepting militarism as a national given, the GLC reframed peace as a civic responsibility. It invited citizens to wear their values proudly, speak up collectively, and imagine a city—and a world—free of nuclear threat.

---