David Cameron to visit Bush in Washington

The Times' Francis Elliott is reporting that David Cameron and William Hague will visit Washington next week and the Conservative leader is likely to visit the White House for talks with President Bush.  A visit to Washington by Pauline Neville-Jones, Conservative security spokesman, last week was used to finalise arrangements for the trip.

It will be the first visit by a Conservative leader to Washington since Iain Duncan Smith met the President, six years ago - the longest period away from America's capital since the 1930s.  Relations between the White House and the Conservative Party became frosty during Michael Howard's tenure.  Team Bush took exception to Mr Howard's criticisms of the Iraq war and Karl Rove made it clear that he would not be welcome at the White House.  Team Blair are credited with helping to stop a Howard-Bush or Cameron-Bush meeting.  Cooler relations between Brown and Bush may have ended the Downing Street veto on this rendezvous.

Since becoming Tory leader Mr Cameron has met John McCain, Rudy Giuliani and Arnold Schwarzenegger but there were suspicions that he did not want to be associated with the 'toxic Texan' in the White House.  In November 2005 Mr Cameron declined to answer a question from ConservativeHome as to whether he would have supported Bush or Kerry at the last presidential election.

David Cameron will hope that the visit will reinforce increasing perceptions that he is a player on the world stage.  While in Washington he will address the Brookings Institution on recent developments in the Balkans and the looming challenges to stability in the region.  The left-liberal leaning Brookings is an interesting choice.  Visiting Tories have traditionally chosen the Heritage Foundation or other conservative think tanks.  Mr Cameron has faced some criticism from the American right for his foreign policy and Brookings may appear a safer bet to him.  There is particular disappointment amongst US conservatives that the Conservatives offered no support for the troops surge in Iraq - a change of policy that is producing increasingly remarked upon results.

Despite fragile progress in Iraq, the Republicans are currently at a low point politically.  Critics of 'Bush Republicanism' - including Andrew Sullivan - believe that Cameronism - with its emphasis on climate change, civil liberties and support for same-sex partnerships - offers a route map for American conservatives after an expected defeat next November.  Many Australian Liberals think the same if John Howard is beaten in Saturday's elections.

It is not clear if the Conservative leader will visit leading Democrats whilst in DC.  My guess is that he will try to.

Comments

[Patriot]

The only thing Harold Wilson ever did which attracted my respect was to successfully resist America's quite heavy handed insistance that the UK send troops to Vietnam while still, on the surface at least, retaining cordial relations with the White House.

David will need to display the same skills in this now as Wilson did then. The important lesson is that Wilson proved, to his credit, that it can be done.

[Letters From A Tory]

I'm very happy to hear about this. Cameron has got to show that he is a serious player on the world stage, and Brown's shaky relations with the US government is a good reason to start forging stronger links.

[Malcolm Dunn]

Not sure if this is such an important story.After all Bush will not be president when Cameron has a chance of becoming prime minister.
If it is true then I'm glad that Bush and his team have decided not to be so childish.Their refusal to meet Howard or Cameron reflects very badly them.

[Tony Makara]

This will be the start of improved relations between the party and the white house. It will give David Cameron and William Hague an opportunity to explain the Conservative position on foreign policy and for both parties to look at the geopolitical situation and hopefully find areas of mutual co-operation.

[activist]

The Republicans propped up Labour. They proved they did not care about Conservatism in the process. For cool relations, they can blame only themselves.

[Jon Gale]

Cameron still shouldn't be seen with the "toxic texan". Bush wont be in the White House when Cameron is PM, so where is the advantage?

[James Maskell]

I agree Jon. We should keep clear of Bush.

[curly]

Not good.

[Stuff Bush]

Bush is a discredited, lame duck President. Like Blair and Brown, he delivered a profligate economic record at home and disastrous imperalist foreign policy abroad.

Guiliani's refusal to meet Cameron when he was behind in the polls shows that the Republicans do not really respect him. It is likely that Dave will be lobbied by the Buish administration to support an attack on Iran.

Cameron will only be tarred with the neo-con brush if he goes to the White House. He is better off staying at home.

[Comstock]

Spot on, Stuff Bush- he is going to meet one of the most loathed politicans on the planet.

First big mistake in a while, but it will be hard for Labour to critise him for it.

[anyone but brown]

I'm no fan of Bush and the neocon gang but he's still US president and this meeting will enhance Cameron's credibility and standing on the world stage as a figure of substance and is another clear sign that the incompetent and discredited Brown is yesterday's man.

[Tony Makara]

I don't feel this is a question of the character of president Bush. Rather its about re-building the relationship between the Conservative party and the white house. David Cameron and William Hague are astute politicians and are not given to lackyism. Tony Blair allowed himself to be railroaded by George Bush, that is a political lesson that is sure to have been learnt by Mr Cameron and Mr Hague.

[George Hinton]

Bush is a busted flush and we should stay well clear of him and his administration.

Bush was very pally with Blair and did nothing to support the party in the wilderness years, demonstrating, yet again, that the Yanks look after their own interests and the devil take everybody else.

If he's seeing Dubya, then he needs to see all the candidates in the White House race, from both parties, to show an unbiased face.

He would gain immense kudos if he used his meeting to lambaste the yanks for their policy in Iraq and economics, following in the steps of Sarko.

[Norwegian Conservative]

"If he's seeing Dubya, then he needs to see all the candidates in the White House race, from both parties, to show an unbiased face."

Why exactly should David Cameron see all the candidates? I beleive there are 15-16 candidates, if you put the Democratic nomination and the Republican together.

David Cameron should maybe meet with the Front-Runners, like Giuliani and Clinton, maybe Obama, Romney and McCain as well. However, there is no point in him meeting marginal candidates like Duncan Hunter, Ron Paul, Kucinich and Biden.

[Daithi]

David Cameron should meet Ron Paul, the only true conservative in the race. He is for small government, low taxes and a non-interventionist foreign policy. The Conservatives could learn a lot from him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWfIhFhelm8

http://www.ronpaul2008.com/

[laurie van trukk]

Have to say I find the rhetoric above against Bush hard to take. If Cameron in any way aligns himself with the Democrats and especially Madame Clinton, I would be very disappointed in his judgment. I still think most of the anti-Bush stuff stems from Iraq; and I'm sorry, but I think the Blair-Bush stance was still right, even though the follow through has been less than perfect. I honestly can't figure out the vitriol he seems to raise in people.

[Tanuki]

This is great news. Hopefully George can say something which will serve to break Dave's obsession with the 'environment'... who knows - after the next UK/US elections this could be the opportunity to re-cement relations between the two biggest players in the Anglosphere/laissez-faire/capitalist world?

[John Leonard]

O/T

Channel 4 / Yougov Poll

Con 41% (nc)
Lab 32% (-3)
LD 14% (+1)

this is the biggest lead the Conservatives have had since Black Wednesday.

It is also suggested that this was taken before disc/datagate.

With the latest bad news regarding datagate this could be enough to cook Darling's Goose

Could this be the Winter of Disc-content(pun courtesy of PB.com)?

[John Leonard]

this is the biggest lead the Conservatives have had since Black Wednesday.

Qualification - on Yougov