So Bush does not like what Brown is doing,, hurrah, that means the new parliment are doing the right thing... maybe this will encourage the people of the U.S. to get rid of that awful Bush person. Until this happens we do not stand a chance of making peace with any one.. GET RID---WE HAVE GOT RID OF BLAIR . YOU CAN DO IT

BETH, east coast, U.K.

Sir,
What a pleasant surprise, can it be possible that we the 51st State are finally declaring our independence? The US 1st'rs have been blinded by the trashy-flashy bright lights, just like adolescents. It is time for us to return to a more critical and considered approach, appreciating the positive and the negative aspects of the relationship. The last few years have been tragic, highlighting our loss of sovereignty, all due to an insular clique.

SC, London, United Kingdom

Better a Rotweiller than a poodle

Vince, Dudley, West Midlands

Really since when does the American have the right to tell what Britain should do?
The war monging Cowboy in the White House should really stop raging war and focus on their own domestic issues. This world don't need any more war. What we need now is to have everybody work together to deal with issue such as poverty in the 3rd world and the future of planet Earth

jack, Portsmouth,

Lv, Wa USA, if it hadn't been for the Bushes' (Georges senior and junior) "leadership" and nasty foreign policy, you might not have suffered the 11/9 attacks in the first place! The whole world detests the USA for very good reasons.

Ann, Ottawa, Canada

Better a Rotweiller than a poodle

Vince, Dudley, West Midlands

Very good for Mr. Brown. The new PM will have his hands full with the rumours of Scottish independence threating to destroy the union. I say keep Britain British and keep the union together.

Floyd, New England, US

The Bush Administration, after having what appeared to be a harmonious and congruent relationship with Blair, is justified in being apprehensive about Brown’s anti-Iraq ministers. Yet, the Bush/Blair affiliation was anything but well balanced, the former the puppeteer, the latter the string puppet (a sombre performance too). Brown intention, one hopes, is to achieve the best of both worlds – on the one hand, to distance himself from the US in terms of foreign policy, but also to maintain a relationship where power between the two nations is at equilibrium. It is indeed difficult to see how close ties can be forged between states when their foreign ministers are at odds, but this may allow for the fostering of a relationship in which negotiation and compromise are of greatest importance; such an dialogue is more likely to lead to a higher quality of decision-making. It is quality decision-making which we are lacking at present in Iraq. For Brown, the US is important, but the UK more so.

Marcin Roth, London , UK

Our old Colony should watch its Ps & Qs,or we might fall out when we put our Great back into Britain.

Derek Bevan, Huntingdon Cambs, England/UK

Maybe the Americans can put someone else in charge of us - someone they find more favourable. Its not like we got a choice on this one.

Rod Munch, Northampton, UK

The USA has taken advantage of the UK and the supposedly existing "special friendship" for much too long and it is high time that we saw some returns coming our way, but I doubt we shall. Take extradiction for just on example, where the USA expects us to give up our citizens on a whim, and yet refuse to allow us to extradite US citizens. Yep that should be end of the "special fiendship" as if thats special then we dont want it.

Simon, London, UK

It's not really the place of US politicians to raise eyebrows at or criticise the appointment of British ministers. Imagine the furore in the USA if Gordon Brown was seen to criticse President Bush's choice of Defence Secretary.

Jamie, Bolton, UK

This is the fresh start that I believe the majority of Britons have been eagerly anticipating for some time. The fact that the anti-war sentiment coursing through the veins of Great Britain will now be more strongly represented at the highest level can only be good for the country. It is imperative for Brown to distance himself from the discredited Bush and his disgraceful band of neocon war-profiteers. Only then will Britain be open to follow an ethical foreign policy where justified criticism of the USA and of Israel, when required, will not be impeded by a suffocating and unhealthy relationship.

If the current American administration and their enforcers (eg Bolton) are concerned by Brown's cabinet selection then this surely means that he is taking steps in the right direction!
I only hope for the sake of the country and the world that Brown will be bold enough to follow the truth in his heart and wise enough not to indulge in his predecessor's folly.

Chris , Glasgow, United Kingdom

Please, Britain, give up on the USA. Our leaders our madmen, and possibly soon madwomen. By siding with the "U.S.A," you are really siding with our leaders in their maniacal policies, against us, the American people. Go be friends with someone reasonable, like the French, rather than aiding and abetting our criminal masters.

Benjamin, Albany, New York

Fortunately, under Bushes Leadership, we have not suffered further terrorist attacks since 9-11. Perhaps he is not such a bumbling fool as the left continuously rages?

again?, Lv, Wa USA

"There is no possibility of the Conservative party ever regaining power again. The underclass, blacks and homosexuals are solidly Labour and will always be so."

..and with likable people like yourself supporting the conservatives, Mike Beesley, I couldn't think why!

Owen, London, UK

I didn't realise that the US appointed our government. It seems the US is saying you can any democracy you like as long as it's appointed by us.

Kevin, Newcastle upon Tyne,

If "blacks, homosexuals, and the underclasses" are enough to keep the Labour party in power then they must represent a significant constituency.

Unless he's being ironic, Mr Beesley would also do well to note that, there is a significant group of white, heterosexual, professionals (like me a higher rate tax paying, chartered accountant with a young family for instance) who rather than being any particular fans of Labour are more concerned with doing their level best merely to keep a bunch of reactionaries out of power in order to be able to live with themselves!!!

J P, Cheshire, UK

how long will it be before one or more of those Ministers 'opposed' by the US Administration is 'forced' to resing from their new post?

garth r a wiseman, london, england

The first two views seem to say what a lot of USA citizens have been saying for sometime , our country ( USA ) needs to do more in house cleaning and less interferring with other nations . Sorry folks you are quite right about our current administration but please don't give up on the USA . We have made a blunder in putting faith in the current group in charge , but many USA citizens were mad about 9/11 and others were downright scared to death as they have never been confronted with attacks on the homeland . Watch for changes , rather corrections back to being a good neighbor . Our current border crisis has taught the good citizens a few things, most of all that we cannot let government ride roughshod and without our full knowledge and consent in ANY matter .

bob graham, las vegas, Nevada / USA

It's about ime! Last time I looked Britain still had a modicum of sovereignty left. The world and the UK has to look beyond the failed Bush Administration that will be in the trash can of history in 19 months time. Nothing that replaces it can possibly be so bad. I'm not a Brown fan but just standing up for what is right in the case of US-UK relations give him 'brownie' points in my book.

oldasiahand, Guildford, UK

With the arrival of the EU's Foreign Minister (the High Representative), the US, in Dr Kissinger's words, will have 'someone to phone'.
The UK, as usual, has sidelined itself whilst France and Germany are, as usual, doing the running.
The UK's foreign policy is of little importance. Without either the US or the EU it is no importance.
Brown has set the stage for UK foreign policy to exit stage left or right - either way it doesn't matter..

eddie reader, birmingham, uk

"Eyebrows have been raised in Washington" is of little interest to anyone. "IQ has been raised in Washington" might make everyone listen.

eric campbell, harrogate, uk

Well, if the yanks are concerned that the Brown Government will move well to the left, then they are right- this is already happening, as Mr Brown gets his cronies in place and then pulls all the strings. It's not a few individuals the yanks have to fear- it's the spectre of a left wing strongman running the show.

Doug, Glasgow,

the brits seem to have trouble recognising who their enemies are. they had similar problems prior to WWII and almost became a nazi fiefdom as a result. While the brits run about trying every form of appeasement and blame it will not deter their enemies from attacking them. All this anti bush rhetoric is about upsetting the apple cart of ostrich appeasement and insisting the emperor is wearing clothes. Churchill played that role prior to WWII. Then, as now, it was not the US who brought war to England but the existence of, dare i say it, evil men.

Bernard Ross, St. Anns Bay, Jamaica

Mike Beesley missed the all-important fourth group in his solid Labour supporters. People with IQs in three figures. They are the real reason the Conservatives will never get in again.

eric campbell, harrogate, uk

Talk of "losing influence" might be more convincing if we had any evidence of exisiting influence. If the British government is finally distancing itself from the multiple disasters of the Bush regime, then the US has only itself to blame. Ignoring Kyoto, abandoning arms control agreements, imposing steel tariffs, not engaging in diplomacy in the Middle East etc etc - the charge sheet is long. Fortunately Bush will be out of office in 18 months, and the long international nightmare will be over, leaving a new President, the UK & EU partners to try and pick up the pieces.

Brian, London,

Hardly beleivable,have we actually turned the corner from being a nation of genuflecting,sycophantic people who hang on every word that emits from Washington? I 'm not losing any sleep waiting however!

Oliver, Brighton,

Stephen, England is not just another American state in the Good ol' US of A. England is our colony! So behave!

Allan, Bellevue, WA USA

I Agree completely with Brown's actions. Britain has not benefited from Blair's extraordinary unconditional support for the US. However the US has gotten its way in the past without the support of France, Germany or even the UN and will get its way in the future without the support of Britain.

Zi, London, UK

surely the time has come to get rid of the crude and unfunny cartoon 'The Blair years' now that the Blair years are over.

J.H.S, sermoyer, France

Good for Mr. Brown!

J R FISHER, Cabot, AR

The US should indeed be worried. There is no possibility of the Conservative party ever regaining power again. The underclass, blacks and homosexuals are solidly Labour and will always be so.

Mike Beesley, Worthing, England

Probably the best thing Brown could do to improve his ratings here would be to raise more eyebrows in the US!

Liz, Sussex,

If British policy towards the USA were modified so that the UK was more like France or Germany then I fail to see how this gives France and Germany more influence than the UK. The UK's national interest has not been well served by the Blair government's uncritical support of the USA. In any case, it's time for the UK to put its relation to the USA on a new and different footing, and Gordon Brown is the man to do it!

jimbo, Oslo, Norway

"expressed concern"? This governement will post whoever it damn well thinks fit and is not an extension of Capitol Hill.

Peter, Portsmouth,

Britain's relationshiop with the US and other "NATO" states is far more complex now than it was in the days of the Cold War. Then it was a simple case of "democracy" in the West versus "dictatorship" in the East.

However, George Bush demolished that distinction for good when he tore up the UN Charter and invaded Iraq without a Security Council mandate, an action which he justified it by his own dictates. (Hmm...what does that make him?) And Blair - that Oxford graduate in Law - supported him. What does that make Blair? He's gone down the road of dictatorship and aggressive war himself, and is therefore going to have a lot or arguing to do to persuade people that he is qualified to be a "peace" envoy in the Middle East.

Edmund Burke, Kingston upon Thames, England

This issue will test what our new PM is made of - steel, if he stands up to to the US pressure and withdraws our boys from Iraq. I doubt if he will be able to do so.

Mike, Ilford, UK

YES!!!
It's about time England made the US of A remember that the UK it isn't just another american state,it is it's own country and will make decisions based on what is good for it not what is good for america. I suppose the UK gets invaded now huh!

Stephen, London,

Ha! Loose influence to France and Gernamy! When you see German or French troops getting blown up in Iraq, then I might believe that. Google "is bush an idiot?" to see what right wing American pundits are saying about the US President. Europe's leaders will all be counting the days until the new US administration arrives as this one is totally discredited

Adrian, London,