Obama: Special relationship must be more equal

Tuesday, 27 May 2008 12:00 AM

Barack Obama, the leader in the race to become Democratic candidate for American president, has called on a "recalibration" of US-UK relations so they become more equal.

The comments came during a private telephone address to American expatriates in London, but several guests at the event have confirmed the statements.

"We have a chance to recalibrate the relationship and for the United Kingdom to work with America as a full partner," Mr Obama told the guests of Elisabeth Murdoch, daughter of media tycoon Rupert Murdoch.

The statements confirm the overriding view of British government officials that Mr Obama is the most pro-British of the three candidates for president.

The event included some of the richest and most famous Americans working in the UK and raised $400,000 (£200,000) for the Obama campaign.

The comments are the clearest indication yet of a sea-change in US-UK relations were Mr Obama to get into office.

The special relationship has come under severe strain since Tony Blair's unquestioning support of George Bush during the Iraq war.

Comments mistakenly picked up by a microphone later caught president Bush addressing the prime minister by saying "Yo Blair" with a flippancy that many took as proof of an unequal relationship.

Tags:
• foreign policy
,
• north america