The Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the country's biggest business association, was to hold a two-day conference in this central England city, beginning Monday.

Its 28th annual gathering was to feature keynote speeches from Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, French Finance Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, EU trade commissioner designate Peter Mandelson and CBI director general Digby Jones.

It takes place amid mounting speculation that Britain's Labour government, seen as business-friendly nowadays despite its socialist roots, would call a general election early next year as it looks to win a third consecutive term.