EU parliament saves us from our own folly

At last, a part of the UK government has opened its eyes and read the spirit levels.

According to a report on today's BBC news website, the Commons Foreign Affairs committee said the phrase "the special relationship" did not reflect the "modern" Anglo-American relationship and could raise unrealistic expectations about the benefits it can deliver to the UK.

That the UK is too deferential to the US government was witnessed by it passing the SWIFT proposals through parliament recently, in effect giving EU citizens’ data to the USA and not securing the same rights in return. Fortunately as we're a member of the EU, our European parliamentarians were more savvy and stopped it happening.

The term 'special' is much overused and therefore devalued in many walks of modern life and the UK's relationship with the USA is yet another example.

My own personal relationship with America is special owing to family ties (my Dad's favourite sister was a GI bride post WWII, who gave me five cousins) and to dear friends in Los Gatos, Rock Island and Catonsville, Baltimore.

But please, let's say what we mean, mean what we say and keep "special" truly special. And keep reading those spirit levels.

What do you think? Not seen the BBC story yet? visit
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/haveyoursay/2010/03/is_the_us_and_uk_relationship.html