TIMESONLINE: Gordon Brown will offer an olive branch to President Bush tonight by describing the United States as Britain’s most important ally and central to his foreign policy plans.
Mr Brown’s remarks, in a speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet at Guildhall, will be seen as an attempt to mend fences with the White House after a series of diplomatic tensions.
Unlike Tony Blair, whose close relationship with President Bush earned him the tag “poodle”, the Prime Minister has placed less emphasis on personal relations and instead emphasised the values and historic ties shared by Britain and America.
Tensions have also arisen over his appointment to the Government of Lord Malloch-Brown, a critic of the Iraq war and neo-conservatism, and comments by Douglas Alexander, the International Development Secretary, seen as coded criticisms of the US’s unilateralist foreign policy. Gordon Brown attempts to mend fences with President Bush and vows US is most important ally (more)
THE GUARDIAN:
Brown to reassure Washington that US remains Britain’s closest ally By Tania Branigan
Mark Alexander
