To me, the City itself is London&#x27;s dirty little secret. The City is not like the rest of London, in terms of political governance. It is a very old enclave, governed by the City of London Corporation.<p>The City is an ancient creation, centered on the old Roman city. It has a government that far precedes that of modern Britain. It has its own constitution, council, and chief executive (mayor).<p>Over many centuries, the power of the City has been tested many times. Even the Magna Carta specifically excludes reforms to the City in stating &quot;the City of London shall have&#x2F;enjoy its ancient liberties.&quot;<p>In addition to self-government, those &quot;ancient liberties&quot; include a certain amount of regulatory independence, especially in the financial sector. The City embraces  finance, with the government having an explicit mission to promote it.<p>As a result, the City is an endlessly useful haven for all sorts of companies and individuals to escape financial scrutiny, right in the heart of modern day Britain.