BP: so much for that special relationship

The way Obama has handled the Gulf oil disaster should serve as a lesson to anyone who still imagines the so-called "special relationship" with America actually counts for something positive for the UK. As far as I can tell, the only thing that's been "special" about the Anglo-American partnership of recent years has been Britain's extraordinary servility -- and it's really got to stop.

Quite rightly Obama felt the heat for his typically nonchalant, half-assed response to the Deepwater Horizon disaster. But then, like the slippery customer he is, he wasted no time to find a suitable scapegoat he could push into the firing line, and deflect criticism from himself. BP became British Petroleum, and so began an appallingly spiteful masterclass in xenophobia.

the special relationship

To be clear, the stricken oil rig was built by a Korean company, and owned and run by an American company. When it went belly-up, it was under lease to an American subsidiary of BP. BP, for its part, is almost 40% owned by US investors, and employs more people in the USA than it does in Britain. So it seems the president was playing fast and loose with the facts when he set about stirring up his anti-British lynch mob, who according to the photographs, have been expressing their protest by wiping their feet on the Union flag -- something more reminiscent of Tehran -- how ironic is that?

There's been some criticism of David Cameron suggesting that he hasn't spoken up strongly enough in defence of BP. Personally I don't think it would be particularly helpful for anyone if our prime minister got into a diplomatic slanging match with the US administration. However I think this entire episode, together with much of our recent history, serves to underline the desperate need for a fresh beginning in our foreign policy, and a reappraisal of our relations with Washington. Messrs Cameron, Hague and Fox should be giving us a clear sign of that -- soon.