apology

[Dominus]

I just wanted to apologize to our friends across the pond for the poor treatment your PM received on his recent trip. IMHO there is no reason why there should not have been a state dinner and a joint press conference. And I'm ashamed that after all the thought and consideration that was taken in selecting the gifts from the UK that we in return gave 25 dvds (I think they were even region 1, which is insane). And the returning of the bust of Winston Churchill was dispicable. Anyway, I hope this isn't a reflection of all Americans opinion of our sister country. Most of us understand who our BFF in this world is. Cheers!

 

[natalielongstaff]

Hi and welcome to the uk boards

 

[Lizzy Lemon]

Hadn't heard of any of that treatment. I just cringed when the PM called the President, Barack - seemed rather disrespectful on their first meeting.

 

[T16GEM]

Hadn't heard of any of that treatment. I just cringed when the PM called the President, Barack - seemed rather disrespectful on their first meeting.

Just shows what an idiot he is. How disrespectful!

I haven't heard of any of this.

 

[emily1982]

I must admit i don't pay any attention anymore, there all as bad as each other.

 

[Cyrano]

Hadn't heard of any of that treatment. I just cringed when the PM called the President, Barack - seemed rather disrespectful on their first meeting.

Glad it was not just me who did not understand the OP post

 

[wils]

I read about this on the US boards but it wasn't widely reported here.

Personally I wouldn't have even wasted the DVDs on him so no need to apologise!

 

[natalielongstaff]

I read about this on the US boards but it wasn't widely reported here.

i read something about it on the Net

 

[jen_uk]

I read it in a newspaper but as I don't like Gordon Brown it doesn't really bother me!

 

[Dominus]

Wow, I had no idea G. Brown was that unpopular. My point is that regardless of the leader, you should respect the position and the relationship the nations have had for about the past 200 yrs. I didn't like it much when people were dogging the US because they didn't like Bush. I do think all the leaders suck to some degree or another. Oh well.

 

[Girlsontour]

Don't loose any sleep over it - we don't

 

[hildasmuriel]

It's funny - I may not like our PM myself, but .........

I didn't like to think he was treated shabbily while overseas as he was representing all of us. I did read about it, but I preferred to think that it was the diplomatic staff making a boo-boo rather than a deliberate snub to the UK PM. I hope!

Thank you for popping over to visit us Dominus.

 

[paulh]

me would have given him nothing.as Chancellor he got us into this mess by the deregulation he oversaw.
He wasnt elected as PM he got it by an agrement him and tony blair had over a meal some years ago.
ok we dont vote fore pm we vote for our party into powere,and then its first amonst equals who gets to be pm usaly the leader of the winning party.but since thatcher was in powerit seams our system have become a populr vote of who leads a party rather than the isues of the party.
just my 2 pence wort
Paulh

 

[Lizzybear]

Wow, I had no idea G. Brown was that unpopular. My point is that regardless of the leader, you should respect the position and the relationship the nations have had for about the past 200 yrs. I didn't like it much when people were dogging the US because they didn't like Bush. I do think all the leaders suck to some degree or another. Oh well.

I'm not keen on Gordon Brown and some of his decisions but I think it's the principle more than anything. I wonder if people would be as dismissive if it had been Bush who'd given these gifts...

 

[Dominus]

I'm not a big fan of GW, but I'll give him his due. He was raised in a diplomatic household and understands the role. He'd never have treated any foreign official in that fashion. If he had, the media here would have crucified him over it. I didn't know you guys didn't vote for PM. I feel so smart, it's like I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night (sorry if ya'll don't have those commercials in the UK). I know where I'm going if I ever need info on the UK or the perspective.

 

[Dimplenose]

We vote for our local member of parliament (MP). THe party who gets the most MPs in parliament forms the government and the leader of that party becomes the Prime Minister ... so if the party leader steps down between elections then the new leader of the party becomes PM.

ETA Sorry Paul, I think I've just repeated what you said.

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Who cares, def not me

 

[carolfoy]

aw! bless you, you little sweetie why on earth do you think we give a stuff about our so called 'leader' who as chancellor of the exchequer allowed half the country to borrow money they couldn't afford whilst giving enormous pensions/bonusses and wages to the other half?
I understand your concern over the etiquette of the matter and would like to take the opportunity to return the apology for letting our previous 'leader' agree to joining forces with your previous 'leader' in sending hundreds of innocent men to their deaths in a meaningless war.

 

[Cyrano]

I'm not a big fan of GW, but I'll give him his due. He was raised in a diplomatic household and understands the role. He'd never have treated any foreign official in that fashion. If he had, the media here would have crucified him over it. I didn't know you guys didn't vote for PM. I feel so smart, it's like I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night (sorry if ya'll don't have those commercials in the UK). I know where I'm going if I ever need info on the UK or the perspective.

Hmmm GW always treated everyone with respect

 

[paulh]

We vote for our local member of parliament (MP). THe party who gets the most MPs in parliament forms the government and the leader of that party becomes the Prime Minister ... so if the party leader steps down between elections then the new leader of the party becomes PM.

ETA Sorry Paul, I think I've just repeated what you said.

no problem,what riles me is that there was no vot for GB to be PM.it was just that him and tony had an aggrement that when he steped down GB would get it.
There was no rank and file vote for who became there party leader so democacy lost.
then again its been going downhill sice the 1976
Paulh