Anglo Indian Relations: David Miliband/Jade Goody

Not really sure what the hell is happening with Indian relations at the moment but recent events seem to be putting a strain on hundreds of years of mutual respect. 

First up we had one Jade Goody, okay not really as serious as it was made out. A gobby loudmouthed chavette known for engaging her mouth before putting her pea sized brain into gear. (I wonder if Gordon Brown has considered giving her a job?)

A spot of annoyance, some effigies were burned and an apology was issued.

Then things calmed down. 

Now we have one David Miliband, The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. That is the chap who is supposed to represent us on the World stage.

From this latest fiasco plus all his others, it would look like the job is not going to well for him.

The Independent reports

David Miliband was beginning to look as accident-prone as Mr Bean last night after yet another adventure backfired.

After ruining his chance of the Labour leadership by gurning at the cameras while brandishing a banana, the Foreign Secretary's visit to India last week was labelled a "disaster" by the country's leading politicians.

He was accused of being "aggressive in tone and manner" in a meeting with the Indian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, and dismissed as a "young man" by senior officials.

Mr Miliband was forced to defend his three-day tour of India and Pakistan last night, insisting he had been "open and honest". The visit had been billed as a "solidarity" trip over the terrorist attacks on Mumbai....

While out of the country last week, the Foreign Secretary was also under fire in the UK for writing an article in which he declared the "war on terror" had been a "mistake". The remarks, in the last days of George Bush's presidency, were criticised for being ill-judged and ill-timed.

Manish Tiwari, a spokesman for the ruling Congress Party, said: "There is no linkage between Kashmir and the terror India has been facing emanating from Pakistan ... The bureaucracy in the British Foreign Office should have educated him a little bit on the facts."

Arun Jaitley, spokesman for the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, said: "In recent years, there has been no bigger disaster than David Miliband's visit."

A government source told AFP yesterday that Mr Miliband's "aggressive style, the tone and manner in which he conducted himself during talks with the Prime Minister [Manmohan Singh] and the Foreign Minister [Pranab Mukherjee] were also upsetting".

William Hague, the shadow Foreign Secretary, said: "Good relations with India are very important to Britain, and must be handled with care and consistency. If these statements are representative of how David Miliband's visit was received, then those relations will have been damaged."

**Is it me or does he look like he has been dressed by mummy?

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