I wrote recently about the special relationship and how it is not really that special, but if there any doubts about that, the latest fuss over the bust of Sir Winston Churchill in the Oval Office should settle the matter.
What kind of sovereign, independent and proud nation tries to measure its relationship with the world’s only superpower by whether its head keeps a bust of its wartime leader in his private office? The Prime Minister, we are now told, apparently doesn’t do that anymore, he did when he was a columnist with the Daily Telegraph and President Obama was in the White House, but not any more. I wonder what has changed?
The next measure of how “special” the UK is will be where President Biden goes on his first foreign trip. Since the UK is hosting the G7 this year it is very likely to be the UK, if he pops into Dublin on the way the UK would be fine with that but you can almost smell the desperation that he comes to the UK before any other major European power. If the UK wasn’t hosting the G7 then No.10 would doubtless be sweating buckets but this way it can rest assured that Joe Biden will be here soon.
Just as well the UK is hosting the G7 really, I am not sure the Government’s ego could stand losing that first visit and Winston Churchill’s bust.
https://jonty.substack.com/
Yes Jonty I laughed at the fact at the news media chooses to measure its countrys relationship with the USA with whether the bust of Winston Churchill remains in the Oval Office - Please! This type of media measure is what I call puerile.
And incidentally I do have a bronze Bust of Winston in my oval office but that is not by plan it just happened and it could go tomorrow if I choose.
The only specialness of the relationship is we don't need an interpreter to understand what the American President is saying. The BBC showed the inauguration of the 46th American President as if it was our own President being sworn in. I don't know about you but after the last 4 years I just breathed a sigh of relief - enough said!!