Like any foriegn visitor to London, GWB wants souvenir to take home to remember London by but the question is "What?". As he is American you might think a topical baseball cap like the one right might be suitable. He is a powerful man so he could probably negotiate to get the girl as well as an added extra.

Unfortunately for the UK economy a cap and a girl is not nearly enough to satisfy George. He has a bigger souvenir in mind, UK jobs. The US administration is putting pressure on US-based multinationals to relocate operations from Britain to USA. In return they will receive compensation from American trade authorities if they have to cancel contracts in Britain to take the jobs home.

Digby Jones of Confederation of British Industry reports that

Three chief executives of American companies investing in Britain have told me to my face that they have been told to close down, bring their stuff home and make it in the US.

This is no "storm in a teacup". American companies employ over 1 million Britains and a major pull out could cause a massive slump in the economy. Unilever chairman Niall FitzGerald agrees

There is a mid-Atlantic trade storm whipping up. There will be retaliation and then retaliation to that retaliation, which could lead us to a 1930s decline.

One thing is for sure. With a presidential election in the USA next year, President Bush will be completely focused on domestic survival, bugger his trading partners.

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