The new ‘special relationship’: between London and New York

21 May 2008

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Michael Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York, unveils his new partnership with Boris, and their plans to forge a transatlantic alliance between the two greatest cities on earth to promote state-of-the-art public policy, cultural links and economic prosperity

‘This is the Conservative party’s candidate for mayor of London?’ That was the first thought that ran through my head when I met Boris Johnson at the party’s annual conference last year in Blackpool, which I attended at the invitation of David Cameron. Boris certainly didn’t look or sound like a politician — but then again, neither did I when I first campaigned to become mayor of New York in 2001.

Back then, the pundits had a field-day lampooning my campaign. They said I was inexperienced, which was true. They said I was a walking verbal gaffe, which was no less true. And they said I had no chance of winning, which certainly seemed true.

But New Yorkers in 2001, as with Londoners in 2008, were more sophisticated than they were given credit for by the chattering class. In each case, voters looked beyond superficial tabloid stories and marked their ballots for the candidate they believed most capable of fresh leadership on a host of critical issues, including a struggling economy and the spectre of rising crime.

The similar circumstances surrounding the improbable victories of Bloomberg and Johnson — and the similar issues that defined our campaigns — underscore how much New York and London have in common. While we traditionally think of the ‘special relationship’ between the US and UK as an alliance between two national governments binding the White House and Number 10, more and more there is an increasingly important economic, cultural, and intellectual partnership binding these two cities — almost like the great city states of the Italian Renaissance.

That seems only natural. We are — and here, please forgive the modesty of a New Yorker — the two greatest cities in the world. Some may argue that there are more romantic cities (Nous aimons Paris) and more historic cities (Viva Roma!), but of one thing there is no doubt: no two cities combine such staggeringly rich and diverse economic and cultural opportunities as New York and London. Yet it wasn’t long ago that the experts were saying that New York’s best days were behind it.

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Martin Morrow

May 22nd, 2008 6:02pm Report this comment

Methinks Bloomberg has an inflated opinion of himself.
He has traded away much of the structure and policy put in place by his worthy predecessor. His moralizing is worse than Nu Labour's and he thinks, because he has made a lot of money, that he knows best.
He doesn't.
New York will pay dearly for his egotism.

Water

May 22nd, 2008 6:25pm Report this comment

"no two cities combine such staggeringly rich and diverse economic and cultural opportunities as New York and London." Now this is certainly true and it will be interesting to see what comes out of this relationship.

peter adler

May 24th, 2008 8:42am Report this comment

Hi Martin Morrow,
I would suggest you give us some arguments for your invectives. Do you live in NYC? Please give us some first-hand info!

Robera McLaren

May 24th, 2008 5:24pm Report this comment

Well that's Boris off to a good start isn't it. First stop, brown nose the Yankee Doodle Dandies. Or is it a case of 'Birds of a feather...?'
Isn't it about time for someone to point out to the US that they are the Fat Owl of the Remove?
Shame about Boris really. Should have stuck to the HIGNFY job while it was going.

Sandeep M

May 24th, 2008 5:43pm Report this comment

Firstly, I thought Mr. Bloomberg made some excellent points about the future of New York and London as cities, and how this future depends on increasing their collaboration, sharing the best ideas and making it easier for their citizens to travel and share cultural experiences across the "pond".

Mr. Bloomberg speaks, thinks and writes likes a professional not a politician and that is why he is so refreshing to read. His emphasis on accountability, transparency, public input and clear communication in government is something that all politicians could learn from.

GK

May 27th, 2008 3:41pm Report this comment

the two greatest cities in the world: Not according to the Fuehrer. He was always referring
to Paris and Vienna as world class cities. Berlin, he would say, was a big city but not a world class city (hence, he wanted to make it using Speer, but war intervened). London in the '70s looked like Bulgaria and only Arabs seemed to have money to keep casinos going.
In the '80s things started to change and I was told by an economics professor that London was the biggest finance centre of the world. But surely, the
Fuehrer had architectural issues
in mind when he was making the comparison.

peter adler

May 28th, 2008 11:21pm Report this comment

Robera McL and Martin M can form a club - "We who dislike Boris Johnson and Michael Bloomberg, but have no arguments just a lot of vacuous nasty words".

James Robinson

May 30th, 2008 10:03pm Report this comment

Bloomberg sounds about fifty times cleverer than anyone in the depressing camp known as New Labour. Sounds like a smashing ally and mentor for Boris. Let's just hope that big oaf Brown bumbles off back to nowhereville from whence he came before he bankrupts the country. Boris and Cameron - what a welcome change that will be!

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