New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio will speak to Labour Conference

Bill de Blasio, the Democratic Mayor of New York, will be the international speaker at Labour Conference in Manchester next week, a spot previously filled by the likes of Bill Clinton and Nelson Mandela. De Blasio, who is considered fairly left wing (especially by the standards of America’s politics), is said to have been of great interest to Ed Miliband when he won the New York election last year.

Miliband’s interest is said to have been piqued by de Blasio’s success at finding a strand of left wing populism that was electorally successful in a right wing society – he is the first Democrat to be New York Mayor in over twenty years.

On Wednesday, the last day of conference, de Blasio will address delegates on developing and executing strategies to tackle income inequality. He will also have a private meeting with Ed Miliband.

De Blasio said:

“The fight against income inequality doesn’t stop at a city limit, a state line or an international border. It’s an issue that confronts us all, in every corner of the world, and it demands a unified response.  

“To truly lift up more people, families and communities struggling to make it in tough economic conditions, we must truly have a shared vision, and a shared strategy.”

Miliband, meanwhile has celebrated the “close links between the Labour Party and leading Democrats”, which have been notably strong under his leadership with the appointments Obama aides David Axelrod and Matthew McGregor.

Miliband added:

“I followed his election campaign closely and I have been impressed by the work he has done since taking office in January for everyday New Yorkers so they can begin to share in, as well as create, a successful future for their great city. 

“We both recognise we face a generational challenge to ensure that hard work is properly rewarded, that young people get a fair shot in life, and that the cost-of-living crisis for working families is tackled.”

LabourList will be hosting a number of events throughout conference. See our full schedule here.