That's What Friends Are For . . .

Mr Brown had hoped to hitch his flagging political fortunes to Barack Obama's star.

And Mr Obama did lavish praise on the 'special relationship' between Britain and America last night - but only after giving Mr Brown a distinctly muted reception.

The Prime Minister's first official meeting with the new President fell short of the lavish welcomes laid on in recent years.

After intense negotiations with the new administration, Mr Brown got some warm words on the historic links between the U.S. and UK.

But there was no family get-together, nor did the President offer Mr Brown and his wife Sarah a star-studded White House dinner.

Within minutes of landing in a snowbound Washington on Monday night, Mr Brown's aides had been made aware that their high expectations for the trip were in danger of exceeding the low-key welcome the Obama administration was prepared to offer.

Suggestions that the new President's crowded diary made it impossible to give more time to Mr Brown rang hollow after it emerged that his other engagements included a routine speech to the Department for Interior and a meeting with the Boy Scouts of America.

British officials tried to counter the rumours by pointing out that Mr Brown was the first European leader to be invited to Washington.

I think the British PM fails to realize that had he come with a contingent of Muslim brits, he would have gotten a warmer welcome. He may be the first European leader to be invited to Washington - and even then, I am not sure he was invited so much as he simply said he was coming - but Obama gave more attention to getting his first interview on Al-Jazeera.

Asked about his rapport with Mr Brown, the President said they had 'spectacular wives and wonderful children in common'.

England used to be our ally. As was Israel.