Conservative Party England

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will address the annual conference of Britain's Conservative Party, the party said Sunday, citing the California Republican's commitment to the environment. Conservative leader David Cameron has been attempting to reposition his party, once led by Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill, in the center, to the dismay of some of the Tory faithful. But the party, which last won a general election 15 years ago, has seen an increase in support in some polls.

For much of the last year, Britain's ruling Labor Party has been on the run. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair had worn out his welcome. The new leader, Gordon Brown, was seen as boring, morose and too old-style liberal. The man to beat was David Cameron, the young sharp-witted Conservative Party leader. No more. Maybe it's the new prime minister's honeymoon, maybe, as many analysts say, the British are ready to go back to boring and safe after 10 years of silver-tongued Blair.

Britain's Conservative Party, struggling to find its way back to power, wraps up its annual conference in the seaside resort of Blackpool today with a colorful veteran, Kenneth Clarke, and the reliable-but-gray front-runner, David Davis, vying with three other candidates to take over the party's reins.

Britain's Conservative Party anointed 39-year-old David Cameron as its leader Tuesday, hoping that the polished, clean-cut "old Etonian" has the magic to lead the Tories out of the political wilderness after three election defeats. Virtually unknown to the country at large six months ago, Cameron outpolled rival David Davis by better than 2 to 1, taking 134,446 votes to Davis' 64,398.