PM embarrassed by Obama snub
By politics.co.uk staff
Gordon Brown’s triumphal trip to the US to meet new president Barack Obama has suffered a setback after White House officials cancelled their expected joint press conference.
Heavy snowfalls in Washington have been touted as the excuse for the cancellation of the photo-op, which was to have been held in the Rose Garden. It has not been moved indoors.
Instead Mr Brown will have to settle what the Americans call a ‘pool spray’ – and Downing Street a ‘media availability’ – involving a group of journalists asking a small number of questions.
The news comes as a blow to Mr Brown, who has been hoping to persuade Mr Obama to back his “grand bargain” idea to place him as a prominent leader on the world stage.
No 10 staff have been on the defensive about the rearranged plans, arguing maximising the amount of time the prime minister had to talk privately with Mr Obama was worth the loss.
And one Labour MP told politics.co.uk the snub did not deserve the attention it is getting.
“I think too much attention is paid to this sort of thing,” the backbencher said.
“Brown should get on with the job of running the country without having to worry about this.”
The Scottish National party (SNP) disagreed, with Angus MacNeil, the party’s Scotland Office spokesperson, saying: “The downgrading of Gordon Brown’s visit is even more embarrassing to Gordon Brown who has been desperate to tap into president Obama’s popularity.”
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