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The Special Relationship: President's and Labour Prime Minister's
From MacDonald and Hoover to Brown and Obama (and the one that got away @JoeBiden )
From MacDonald and Hoover to Brown and Obama (and the one that got away @JoeBiden )
Ramsay MacDonald became the first British Prime Minister to visit the United States as a guest of the President
US media were excited by his daughter Ishbel - as people "lined the streets of broadway" to observe her fashion taste
US media were excited by his daughter Ishbel - as people "lined the streets of broadway" to observe her fashion taste
MacDonald claimed that ‘both nations have a great role to play in the advancement not only of disarmament but of many other democratic and moral issues with which their history is associated’
His aim was to agree a Naval treaty that would ‘narrow the Atlantic’.
His aim was to agree a Naval treaty that would ‘narrow the Atlantic’.
MacDonald’s speech went down well. Senator Watson, the Republican Floor Leader, claimed it ‘expressed a sentiment near to the heart of every well-wisher of the race’
An editorial in the New York Times described him as ‘unpretentious, unspoiled with dignity fitting his position’
An editorial in the New York Times described him as ‘unpretentious, unspoiled with dignity fitting his position’
Attlee and Truman met three times as prime minister and president. The first was at Potsdam in July 1945
The second time concerned the new atomic bomb. Attlee sought to prevent war by internationalising atomic bomb development with control under the United Nations.
Attlee obtained Truman's personal pledge not to use the atomic bomb without informing him, but Truman refused Attlee's request that it be a written pledge.
"Churchill never asked or got so much as Attlee did" claimed the secretary of state Dean Acheson
"Churchill never asked or got so much as Attlee did" claimed the secretary of state Dean Acheson
In the 1960s, Harold Wilson looked to JFK for inspiration whilst in opposition.
He copied some of his language and style - such as holding mass open air stadium rallies, using celebrity and promising "100 days of action" if elected
He copied some of his language and style - such as holding mass open air stadium rallies, using celebrity and promising "100 days of action" if elected
In November 1963. Wilson was informed of JFK’s death by Joan Parkins who had heard the news on the radio on her way to hear Wilson speak in Scotland
“We came in through a back door and were met by his people, so we told them what had happened.
“They couldn’t believe it and said we should tell Harold ourselves, as we had heard all of the details on the car radio” https://www.chesterstandard.co.uk/news/15974340.how-pensioner-broke-news-of-jfks-assassination-to-harold-wilson/
“They couldn’t believe it and said we should tell Harold ourselves, as we had heard all of the details on the car radio” https://www.chesterstandard.co.uk/news/15974340.how-pensioner-broke-news-of-jfks-assassination-to-harold-wilson/
Interviewed by ITN on his return from Kennedy’s funeral, Wilson talked about the “deep sense of shock” felt by Americans https://www.channel4.com/news/jfk-kennedy-assassination-dallas-1963-harold-wilson
JFK met Clement Attlee in 1961 with Cuba at the forefront of US minds.
As he stepped off the plane, Attlee was asked about Cuba
“They are a bit short of democracy in Cuba. Fidel Castro is not a democratic leader”
As he stepped off the plane, Attlee was asked about Cuba
“They are a bit short of democracy in Cuba. Fidel Castro is not a democratic leader”
Wilson instead worked with LBJ with Vietnam and the crisis of sterling dominating their relationship
Despite committing no troops, Wilson still faced huge public criticism for not outright condemning the conflict in his Cabinet and in the country.
When asked why by cabinet he reportedly snapped "Because we can’t kick our creditors in the balls!!”
When asked why by cabinet he reportedly snapped "Because we can’t kick our creditors in the balls!!”
Wilson then met President Richard Nixon in London in 1969. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-38750419
Nixon and Harold Wilson got on well. After Nixon resigned, Wilson was one of the first people he encountered. In 1976, Wilson met him for a private dinner at the Dorchester Hotel
Jonathan Aitken recalled how they ate and sang HMS Pinafore together http://parliamentstreet.org/blog/sunday-interview/2014/aitken-nixon-wilson-sang-hms-pinafore-together/
Jonathan Aitken recalled how they ate and sang HMS Pinafore together http://parliamentstreet.org/blog/sunday-interview/2014/aitken-nixon-wilson-sang-hms-pinafore-together/
When Wilson later resigned the New York Times claimed
‘In his tendency to pass off appearance for substance and in his fascination for precedents, record and figures, Wilson’s style is reminiscent of that of Richard Nixon’ https://tidesofhistory.com/2020/03/26/the-resignation-the-end-of-the-harold-wilson-era/
‘In his tendency to pass off appearance for substance and in his fascination for precedents, record and figures, Wilson’s style is reminiscent of that of Richard Nixon’ https://tidesofhistory.com/2020/03/26/the-resignation-the-end-of-the-harold-wilson-era/
Wilson also visited Gerald Ford at the White House in 1975
Jimmy Carter, beat Ford in 1976 and telephoned Callaghan for a long chat in Jan 77 – a week before his inauguration.
Callaghan went to Washington March, where Carter backed Concorde's campaign for landing rights in New York.
Callaghan invited Carter to the U.K.
In May 1977 that Mr Carter captured the hearts of the North East when he greeted the crowd of 20,000 outside the Newcastle Civic Centre with: 'Howay the lads
In May 1977 that Mr Carter captured the hearts of the North East when he greeted the crowd of 20,000 outside the Newcastle Civic Centre with: 'Howay the lads
Recently @TylerCHawkins looked back at their relationship: https://tidesofhistory.com/2020/10/30/whatever-happened-to-the-likely-lads-james-callaghan-and-jimmy-carter-re-visited/
By the early 1990s, the architects of New Labour increasingly looked at the Democrats success to end their own wilderness years
It was while they were in New York, as Clinton took office that Brown gave Blair the line “tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime”
Blair used it a week later for the first time
Blair used it a week later for the first time
Blair and Brown were invited on to C-Span to discuss the modernisation of the party
Check out the brilliant ‘march of the moderates’ by @Richard_Carr for best account of these years https://tidesofhistory.com/2019/09/08/all-mod-cons-how-labour-and-the-democrats-learnt-to-win-again/
Tony Blair and George W Bush's first met at a snowy Camp David - the US president's official retreat - seven months before the 9/11.
Blair had initially hoped Al Gore would win in 2000
Blair had initially hoped Al Gore would win in 2000
Upon being asked what the two leaders had in common, President Bush replied: "Well, we both use Colgate toothpaste."
The two leaders would eventually form a tight bond, with both countries going to war in Iraq
This is covered in the new podcast: Fault Line by David Dimbleby https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-fault-line-bush-blair-and-iraq/id1531812209
This is covered in the new podcast: Fault Line by David Dimbleby https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-fault-line-bush-blair-and-iraq/id1531812209
Brown and Bush worked together in 2007 and 2008
On a visit to the U.S Bush praised Brown as "a good friend", portrayed his handling the aftermath of the terror attack at Glasgow airport as "brilliant".
On a visit to the U.S Bush praised Brown as "a good friend", portrayed his handling the aftermath of the terror attack at Glasgow airport as "brilliant".
The election of Barack Obama came at the tail end of the Labour government.
Brown declared "The bonds that unite the US and the UK are vital to our prosperity and security and I know from talking to Senator Obama that he will be a true friend of Britain"
Brown declared "The bonds that unite the US and the UK are vital to our prosperity and security and I know from talking to Senator Obama that he will be a true friend of Britain"
In March 2009, Downing Street proudly boasted that Mr Brown was the first European leader President Obama had met.
The first meeting was dominated by the global financial crisis and the upcoming G20 summit in London.
The first meeting was dominated by the global financial crisis and the upcoming G20 summit in London.
However, there was said to be some embarrassment when President Obama gifted a box of US films to Brown
The DVDs that did not actually work on UK DVD players...
The DVDs that did not actually work on UK DVD players...
And finally... as @JoeBiden becomes the 46th President of the United States, it could have happened over thirty years ago....
Famously, Biden’s bid collapsed under allegations over plagiarism after he utilised Kinnock’s ‘thousand generations’ speech for his 1988 campaign
Famously, Biden’s bid collapsed under allegations over plagiarism after he utilised Kinnock’s ‘thousand generations’ speech for his 1988 campaign
Biden later requested a meeting with the Labour leader to present him, tongue in cheek, with ‘a small collection of his own speeches on foreign policy’
Kinnock read the speeches and highlighted Biden’s ‘tough-minded internationalist foreign policy’ that Labour should follow
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Kinnock read the speeches and highlighted Biden’s ‘tough-minded internationalist foreign policy’ that Labour should follow
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