Theresa May dances to ABBA’s Dancing Queen at Tory conference
UK Prime Minister Theresa May continues to dance like nobody’s watching.
The PM, who got plenty of attention for her awkward robot-style dancing on a trip to South Africa in August, showed off her skills again at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham on Wednesday.
The Conservative leader came on stage to a classic gay anthem—ABBA’s “Dancing Queen.”
Dancing Queen Theresa May makes a dramatic entrance to her conference speech. pic.twitter.com/clYZfpbzXt
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) October 3, 2018
Among those who remarked on May’s moves was Swedish Ambassador Torbjörn Sohlström, who tweeted his congratulations to the PM.
“As Swedish Ambassador I can only say Bravo to @theresa_may for starting her conference speech with ABBA’s Dancing Queen,” he wrote.
In her speech, May set out her vision for a Conservative Party that is “not afraid of change.”
She described her party as one “that believes your success in life should not be defined by who you love, your faith, the colour of your skin, who your parents were or where you were raised, but your talent and your hard work.”
Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May dances a few steps as she takes the stage to give her keynote address on the fourth and final day of the Conservative Party Conference 2018 at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham (OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty)
The PM praised the out leader of the Scottish Conservative Party Ruth Davidson, who is expecting her first child, while also referencing Home Secretary Sajid Javid, London Mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey, and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Esther McVey.
She said “If your dad arrived on a plane from Pakistan, you can become Home Secretary.
“If you spent time in care, you can be in the cabinet. If your grandparents came to our shores as part of the Windrush generation, you could be the next Mayor of London.
“If you are pregnant with your first child and engaged to your girlfriend, you could be the next First Minister of Scotland. We, the Conservative Party, are the party of opportunity.”
Leader of the Scottish Conservatives Ruth Davidson (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty)
Ahead of the conference speech, the PM had announced that the party would open civil partnerships to heterosexual couples.
In an interview with London’s Evening Standard, she said: “This change in the law helps protect the interests of opposite-sex couples who want to commit, want to formalise their relationship but don’t necessarily want to get married.
“As Home Secretary, I was proud to sponsor the legislation that created equal marriage. Now, by extending civil partnerships, we are making sure that all couples, be they same-sex or opposite-sex, are given the same choices in life.”
British Prime Minister Theresa May dances as she walks out onto the stage to deliver her leader’s speech during the final day of the Conservative Party Conference (Christopher Furlong/Getty)
However, May was criticised for prioritising civil partnerships for straight couples over equal marriage in Northern Ireland.
Patrick Corrigan of Love Equality said: “The Prime Minister’s announcement that the government will make civil partnerships available to opposite sex couples in England and Wales is a welcome step towards equality for all couples in the UK.
“However, it also serves as a reminder that her government has refused to act to end discrimination against same-sex couples in Northern Ireland, who are still denied the right to marry, a right available to every other couple in the UK and Ireland.
(OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty)
“Later this month, Conor McGinn MP’s private member’s bill on equal marriage for Northern Ireland will come before the House of Commons for second reading. Theresa May should show that she is a true friend of the LGBT+ community by getting behind this bill and finally righting this wrong.
“The vast majority of people and politicians in Northern Ireland want to see marriage equality. The Prime Minister should demonstrate that she does too.”
