Islington is a North London borough, with a population of 242,000. Perhaps surprisingly, given its lofty reputation and importance, just seven of London's 32 boroughs have smaller populations.

At just 5.74 square miles it is also the second smallest London borough by area. Only Kensington & Chelsea occupies less of the capital's footprint.

With a lack of geographical features and arguably no really key focal point for the borough, Islington is best seen as a smattering of neighbourhoods clustered together in this diverse, crowded and intriguing corner of town.

As a bluffer's guide, we could think of four quarters, based around areas familiar to most Londoners:

Finsbury Park and Highbury (Arsenal Football Club and all) help you get your bearings in the north east quarter, with the upper Northern Line trio of Highgate, Archway and Tufnell Park bordered by the Holloway Road in the north-west.

Angel and Upper Street, home to the council's headquarters, are the gateway to the south-west quarter, with Clerkenwell beneath nestling up against Camden and the City. And in our south east quarter we find City Road, New North Road and Old Street; areas of Islington with (whisper it) more than a hint of Hoxton (which is to say Hackney!) about them. But they're ours, they're buzzing and we love 'em.

POLITICS

The local authority is, to say the least, Labour controlled, with just one Conservative, one Green and one independent councillor among the Islington red wall.

Both Islington's MPs are also Labour - former leader Jeremy Corbyn holding Islington North in 2019 with around two thirds of the vote, while Emily Thornberry retained her Islington South and Finsbury seat with a similarly commanding majority. Despite cruising into government nationally, the Conservatives finished third in both constituencies. It's amazing to think that the borough which was shorthand for the powerful set who lorded it over the rest of the country now seems so detached from the national government.

POLICE

Islington is of course policed by London's Metropolitan Police. After many years in which local policing was managed on a borough by borough basis, the Met has now restructured into 12 regional 'basic command units' - known as BCUs - with two, three or even four boroughs in each. The first of these to be formed was the Central North BCU, made up of Camden and Islington.

Each borough still has a main 24 hour base, with Islington Police Station just off Upper Street in Tolpuddle Street, N1. The newly appointed BCU commander is Chief Superintendent Andy Carter.

HEALTH

As with policing, some community health matters for both the boroughs of Camden and Islington are overseen by the one organisation, the Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust. This is particularly the case in respect of mental health.

However, the North Central London Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is probably the key organisation shaping heath provision in Islington.

The Whittington Hospital is based in the north-west of the borough, a short (steep) walk from Archway tube station with very limited parking. The hospital has a 24 hour accident and emergency centre and a large maternity unit which ensures that many a Londoner gets to put 'Place of Birth: Islington' in their passport.