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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Miliband defends UK-US relations | Miliband defends UK-US relations |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Foreign Secretary David Miliband has insisted the United States will continue to be the UK's "most important partner in the world". | Foreign Secretary David Miliband has insisted the United States will continue to be the UK's "most important partner in the world". |
| His assertion comes in the wake of comments from two other ministers which hinted at cooler relations between the two nations. | His assertion comes in the wake of comments from two other ministers which hinted at cooler relations between the two nations. |
| Writing in the News of the World, Mr Miliband said there would be no change from Tony Blair's approach. | Writing in the News of the World, Mr Miliband said there would be no change from Tony Blair's approach. |
| He said that people were just looking for "cracks" in the "vital" bond. | He said that people were just looking for "cracks" in the "vital" bond. |
| His statement comes after new Foreign Office minister Lord Malloch Brown claimed the UK and the US would no longer be "joined at the hip" on foreign policy. | |
| He told the Daily Telegraph it was time for a more "impartial" foreign policy and to build relationships with European leaders. | He told the Daily Telegraph it was time for a more "impartial" foreign policy and to build relationships with European leaders. |
| Special relationship | Special relationship |
| Some analysts consider his remarks evidence of Labour distancing itself from the US and the Blair/Bush alliance. | Some analysts consider his remarks evidence of Labour distancing itself from the US and the Blair/Bush alliance. |
| But Mr Miliband appeared to refute any such suggestion, saying: "With a new Brown government some people are looking for evidence that our alliance is breaking up. | But Mr Miliband appeared to refute any such suggestion, saying: "With a new Brown government some people are looking for evidence that our alliance is breaking up. |
| "There isn't any. The US is our single most important partner in the world. Nothing has changed." | "There isn't any. The US is our single most important partner in the world. Nothing has changed." |
| You need to build coalitions that are lateral, which go beyond the bilateral blinkers of the normal partners Lord Malloch Brown | You need to build coalitions that are lateral, which go beyond the bilateral blinkers of the normal partners Lord Malloch Brown |
| His efforts to reassure Washington of Mr Brown's commitment to the so-called special relationship closely follows a denial from Downing Street that another minister had criticised the US. | His efforts to reassure Washington of Mr Brown's commitment to the so-called special relationship closely follows a denial from Downing Street that another minister had criticised the US. |
| International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander warned in a speech against unilateralism and called for an "internationalist approach" to global problems. | International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander warned in a speech against unilateralism and called for an "internationalist approach" to global problems. |
| Lord Malloch Brown's newspaper interview was his first since being appointed Foreign Office minister. | Lord Malloch Brown's newspaper interview was his first since being appointed Foreign Office minister. |
| He used to be deputy secretary general at the United Nations and is a known critic of the Iraq war. | He used to be deputy secretary general at the United Nations and is a known critic of the Iraq war. |
| Lord Malloch Brown wants a more impartial foreign policy | Lord Malloch Brown wants a more impartial foreign policy |
| "It is very unlikely that the Brown-Bush relationship is going to go through the baptism of fire and therefore be joined together at the hip like the Blair-Bush relationship was," he was reported as saying. | "It is very unlikely that the Brown-Bush relationship is going to go through the baptism of fire and therefore be joined together at the hip like the Blair-Bush relationship was," he was reported as saying. |
| "That was a relationship born of being war leaders together. | "That was a relationship born of being war leaders together. |
| "There was an emotional intensity of being war leaders with much of the world against them. That is enough to put you on your knees and get you praying together." | "There was an emotional intensity of being war leaders with much of the world against them. That is enough to put you on your knees and get you praying together." |
| He went on to speak of forging new links with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, as well as with leaders in India and China. | He went on to speak of forging new links with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, as well as with leaders in India and China. |
| "You need to build coalitions that are lateral, which go beyond the bilateral blinkers of the normal partners," he added. | "You need to build coalitions that are lateral, which go beyond the bilateral blinkers of the normal partners," he added. |
| "My hope is that foreign policy will become much more impartial." | "My hope is that foreign policy will become much more impartial." |
| 'Get a grip' | 'Get a grip' |
| His remarks come the day after Mr Alexander was accused of "coded criticism" of the policies of President George W Bush in a speech he made in the US. | His remarks come the day after Mr Alexander was accused of "coded criticism" of the policies of President George W Bush in a speech he made in the US. |
| When asked if his comments amounted to criticising the US, Gordon Brown's spokesman said that view "was not shared" by the PM. | When asked if his comments amounted to criticising the US, Gordon Brown's spokesman said that view "was not shared" by the PM. |
| Mr Brown, himself, told BBC Radio Five Live that he would continue to work, as Tony Blair did, "very closely with the American administration". | Mr Brown, himself, told BBC Radio Five Live that he would continue to work, as Tony Blair did, "very closely with the American administration". |
| Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell has called on Mr Brown to "get a grip". | Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell has called on Mr Brown to "get a grip". |
| "What is at issue is not the relationship with the US but the nature of that relationship," he said. | "What is at issue is not the relationship with the US but the nature of that relationship," he said. |
| "Under Tony Blair the relationship was so subordinate as to appear subservient. Britain needs to be America's candid friend not its client." | "Under Tony Blair the relationship was so subordinate as to appear subservient. Britain needs to be America's candid friend not its client." |