Today

Two hundred and thirty two years ago today we were trounced by the Yanks at the battle of Bennington. Of course, we enjoyed revenge when - three years later - we clobbered them in the Battle of Camden. And three hundred and eighty nine years ago yesterday, the Mayflower had just set off on the voyage that was to ultimately end in our NHS being savaged by people who have to be told where London is and, when they find it, try, repeatedly, to buy Tower Bridge.

Despite all this, we do love 'em. But powerful as our colonial cousins are, they remain an enigmatic mix of culture and populist tripe, sophistication and decadence and are - as a people - curiously unaware of the world around them. USA today relegates world shattering events to a few column inches on the back pages; the main TV news inevitably centres around US events and the US banking system cannot come to grips with Sterling.

There's a reason our currency is called Sterling, of course, and a reason why we use the same word to describe anything of outstanding quality. Other languages simply can't do it and to think of describing a beautiful piece of silverware as 'Euro' is enough to make you turn to drink. However, back in the land of milk and cookies, the US political system is currently using us to try to stop Obama's promised reformation of the US health system. 'Service' would be too strong a word, but the 'haves' in the US - unendearingly - and Gallicly - termed 'Republicans' - are out to stop him, because they don't like the thought that everyone should get decent health care as a matter of policy. Why not? Because if only those who can pay get it, then there won't be any deterioration of the system. Or so they think. But then, never forget; it was these same sophisticates who voted in George Dubya, with his stunning, world class intellect and superb public speaking and who also, incidentally, back that doyen of culture and learning, Sarah Palin.

Of course, they're allowed to behave as badly as they want in their own nest, but when they start taking a pop at our NHS then enough is enough. We should remind them that the greatest ever film director was British (Hitchock), Gershwin learnt everything he knew about music from the French, London doesn't have to have 'England' after it in every Hollwood film and, to cap it all, not only were they late for two world wars, but they nicked the Jet engine plans from us and never gave us anything in return. And they call the French for everything!