I'm no lover of Blair, however there are one or two in the government who stand out as doing a fine job. Jack Straw was one of them.
LinkMr Straw was indeed dismissed because of American anxieties, but that Dr Rice herself had become worried, on her visit to Blackburn, by Mr Straw’s dependence on Muslim votes. About 20 per cent of the voters in Blackburn are Islamic; Mr Straw was dismissed only four weeks after Dr Rice’s visit to his constituency. It may be that both explanations are correct. The first complaint may have been made by Mr Rumsfeld because of Iran; Dr Rice may have withdrawn her support after seeing the Islamic pressures in Blackburn. At any rate, Irwin Stelzer’s account confirms that Mr Straw was fired because of American pressure.
So the so called 'special relationship' is even more special than we Brits thought it was. Seemingly President Shrub now has the power to select and dismiss Her Majesties ministers. We are fast becoming a laughing stock on the world stage....
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