A Change of Style

Having run into trouble trying to station Star Wars Part XCIV in quaint little countries whose governments are accountable to their parliaments, the Bush administration has honoured the Poodle Archipelago with a "request" for a bit of silo-room with which to re-start the Cold War; and in his zeal to demonstrate the independence of his Britishness and the newness of his broominess, the Glorious Successor has done almost exactly what Tony would have done: RAF Menwith Hill, near Harrogate somewhere not very close to Downing Street, has been officially invited to bend over and spread its cheeks for the great space-age surge. The difference is that Tony would have announced it at a press conference, with flashing grin and a pre-emptive swipe at any evil, outdated, anti-American, Saddam-supporting forces of conservatism who might have thought a debate on the matter would be in order; Gordon has left the task of breaking the glorious news to Des Browne, the glittering new Secretary for War and the Colonies, who mumbled that by "supporting American efforts" in provoking Russia, "we are helping to build future protection for our citizens."