I am somewhat confused.

Why shouldn't the British negotiate in the Middle East? I remember that negotiations led to a goood result in Northern Ireland.
Why should the friends of Israel want to stop the negotiations?
And given the current gung-ho attitudes of the Bush Administration, let Sarkozy snuggle up to them.

LR, London,

In a democracy, the government is supposed to represent the the electorate. Lord Malloch-Brown is expressing the views of many people in Britain who are, to say the least, unhappy about the invasion and occupation of Iraq and Britain's apparent subservience to the US, as well as being suspicious and even fearful of the Neocons' agenda and ambitions. What sort of "democracy" do we have if dissenting voices are silenced because foreign leaders disagree with them?

Sally Clarke, Amman, Jordan

We need more independent-minded characters like this.Keep up the good work and don't let them force you out.

alan madox, wirral, england

This entire Government is a liability.

judy, Liverpool, england

He seems to me yo be just what we need, someone prepared to stand up to organisations like to Friends of Israel and speak some common sense instead of blindly following the US lead which in any event is heavily biased.

michael hirst, reading,

During his tenure at the UN, Malloch Brown was a breath of fresh air to us Americans who were not prepared to gullibly swallow each new bit of rubbish offered up by the Bush administration. His moral courage and unquestioned ability to articulate the truth should be valued and embraced by the Government, although I can imagine many junior -- and senior -- to him feeling threatened by such sharp intellect and insight. His work with the United Nations Development Programme stands as proof that Lord Malloch Brown is just the right person to represent the UK in troubled parts of the world. As we'd say over here, "Give him a break already!"

Tim Doke, Dallas, Texas, USA

It appears as if the good lord has made the fatal mistake of having opinions of his own and expressing them in public. He can't possibly last amongst Brown's yes men. Since he is already "upstairs" where does Brown send him to?

Ally, Motherwell, Lanarkshire

The incidental details in this story are unimportant. In fact they only serve to obscure the real reason for Maloch Brown's difficulties. That is the Whitehouse doesn't like him. They don't think he's on message or loyal enough, and that means he has to go, one way or another.

Michael Krug, Hundested, Denmark

He sounds like just the chap we need.A breath of fresh air.

mick, glasgow,

Far from being joined at the hip we are welded to the sole of the American foot. We are their off shore aircraft carrier - their apologist in Europe - we hunker down behind every illegal policy and action they make for fear of financial retribution. Someone needs to take a critical stand against the greatest theat to world peace and environmental collapse ... the American empire!

Stephen Seymour Clancy, Orkney, Scotland

Hi simply reflected what the vast majority of Brits feel, an utter disgust for the way we, specifically our leaders, are treated by the Americans, particularly when we afford them so much courtesy, and they do not reciprocate.

The recent case of the Muslim MP who was in the US to actually speak on the issue of Terrorism, and how he was mistreated, is case in point. It seems, one rule for them (Americans: free to do as they wish), and no rules for us (free to be ignored, mistreated, and bothered - even if you are a MP!)

Farrukh, Woking, UK

Another dumb appointment by this dumb government. The Chief of staff at the UN hardly qualifies him for this sensitive post. Another expensive inititive going down in smoke. Expensive not particularly in the huge salary and perks, but expensive in the loss of UK credit by our closest friends.

Diddly Do, Liverpool,

Bearing in mind the contempt in which the US held the UK over planning before the invasion of Iraq it sounds to me that Malloch-Brown has the right idea. He isn't an embarrassment, the attitude of successive governements attitude towards the US is.

Eddie Reader, birmingham, england

"Lord" Malloch Brown's appointment says it all about Grim Gordon's modus operandi and the quasi dictatorship that he is setting up.

W D Toulman. Walkington East Yorkshire.

W D Toulman , Walkington East Yorkshire, UK

All Malloch-Brwn has done is speak the truth. The neocons are the biggest threat to world peace. I wish there were more like him in power. Just what does Britain get out of the "special relationship" with the US ?

George, Manchester, UK

Its not so much Malloch Brown's feelings as the realisation that its the current US administration that needs to be criticised. I admire greatly the USA but not this administration which has been a disaster for that great country.

mik blunden, kingslangley, uk

Lord Malloch-Brown was an embarrassment to the United Kingdom in his position at the UN and is still an embarrassment to the country now. Put the man out to grass. NOW.

Alistair, Edinburgh,

So, UK and US ARE "joined at the hip"? If so, is that a desirable state of affairs?

Michael, Dubai,

Bob - is that good or bad?

Glyn, Wetherby,

Living among Americans as I do, I can say quite authoritatively that Lord Malloch-Brown that replaced George Galloway as Britain's greatest embarrassment among the Yanks!

Bob Evans, Anaheim, California

if he “had known it would cause such a fuss, I wouldn’t have appointed him”....er, right, Gordon.

Malloch Brown's antics in the US prior to his elevation to the peerage were widely reported, including his liking for subsidised housing.

This is the year of HMS Cornwall, Mr-Bean-the-Marine, exploding Nimrods and the victory march from Basra. From a US point of view, Malloch Brown is just another reason to wince and walk away from Britain.

Meanwhile, Sarkozy steps into the breach in Washington.

Good work, Gordon!

Fred Quintus, London,