The sixth election to the Greater London Council (GLC) was held on 7 May 1981. Following the election Andrew McIntosh the leader of the Labour Group was replaced by Ken Livingstone, a member of the party's left-wing. This was the last election to the GLC. The Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher soon decided to abolish the council in the mid-1980s. Following the abolition of the GLC, there was a direct election to the Inner London Education Authority in 1986.

The Greater London Council (GLC) was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council (LCC) which had covered a much smaller area. The GLC was dissolved in 1986 by the Local Government Act 1985 and its powers were devolved to the London boroughs and other entities. A new administrative body, known as the Greater London Authority (GLA), was established in 2000.