The truth about PM's 'special relationship' with Bush

Iraq

Britain disagreed with the US over two key decisions in May 2003, two months after the invasion - to disband Iraq's army and "de-Ba'athify" its civil service. Geoff Hoon, on 2 May 2007, said: "Sometimes ... Tony (Blair) had made his point with the President, I'd made my point with Don [Rumsfeld] and Jack [Straw] had made his point with Colin [Powell] and the decision actually came out of a completely different place. And you think: what did we miss? I think we missed (Vice-President Dick) Cheney."

Iran

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Britain's Foreign Secretary at the time, Jack Straw - now Gordon Brown's campaign manager - led calls for Iran to be drawn into talks. The White House rejected the calls, even when they were backed up by the President's Iraq Study Group. The US this week opened talks with Iran.

Guantanamo Bay

The White House rebuffed repeated requests by British ministers, led by the Attorney General Lord Goldsmith, for the release of UK nationals held in Cuba as part of the "war on terror". Eventually, nine Britons were freed by the US - but none of those men have been charged in this country. At least three British residents remain in custody at Guantanamo and MPs have launched a campaign to win their freedom.

Conditions at the camp have been condemned by human rights activists worldwide, and British ministers have called for it to be closed.

The Middle East

Mr Blair pleaded for an "even-handed approach" to the Middle East in April 2004 and called for greater priority to be given to the " roadmap" to peace. Within 48 hours, his call was rejected by President Bush. Jack Straw underlined Britain's unease, saying: "President Bush ... has to make his own judgments. We make our own." Last year, the Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said Bush had been "crap" on the road map.

The Natwest Three

The US demanded the extradition of three ex-NatWest bankers, using a treaty it had not ratified, in relation to the collapse of the energy giant Enron. Mr Blair was reduced to pleading for the accused to be released on bail.