New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and British Prime Minister and Conservative Party Leader David Cameron spoke at the British Conservative Party's Conference in Birmingham, England.
Mayor Bloomberg praised the efforts of P.M. Cameron and his government. Bloomberg, who spoke to the conference in 2007, talked about the success of the London Olympics and the coalition government’s deficit reduction plan. He also called Mr. Cameron a “gold medal Prime Minister” and said “America succeeds when Britain succeeds.”
Following the Mayor, Prime Minister Cameron talked about building an “aspiration nation” and identified the key differences between the opposition Labour Party and the Conservative Party, specifically in education, the National Health Service and welfare reform. He has been leader of the Conservative Party since 2005. In 2010, after the May election, the Conservatives formed a coalition with the Liberal Democrats, when neither party won a majority in the House of Commons.
The conference began Sunday, October 7, and continues through Wednesday. Earlier in the week, London Mayor Boris Johnson and Secretaries from the ruling party addressed conference attendees.
British political parties hold annual conferences that are similar to the American parties' once-every-four-years conventions. At the British conferences, party loyalists listen to speeches by politicians and political activists, and discuss changes to the party's position on various issues. One of the key issues on the table this year is gay marriage, for which Prime Minister David Cameron has publicly announced his support.