Brown looking for ally in next US president

WASHINGTON: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is looking to the old and the new in Washington, speaking with US President George W Bush after meetings with all three major candidates to succeed him.

He said in a news conference with Bush yesterday that the special relationship between the United States and Britain will remain strong when the United States has a new president in January.

In their joint appearance, Bush and Brown denied that relations had suffered since former British Prime Minister Tony Blair left office last year.

Earlier, Brown sat down individually with the candidates, Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama and Republican John McCain, for 45-minute meetings.

If Brown prefers one candidate over another, he would not say.

"It is for Americans to decide who their president is going to be," Brown said.

But he added he was convinced that "the relationship between America and Britain will remain strong, remain steadfast, that it will be one that will be able to rise to the challenges of the future."

It was Obama's first meeting with Brown. McCain met Brown last month during a visit to London, while Clinton and Brown have known each other since her years as first lady to former President Bill Clinton.

The relationship between Brown and Bush has been arm's length, in contrast with the bond between Bush and Blair.