Special Relationship Update: Brown Can't Watch Obama DVDs

Two weeks ago we noted the exchange of gifts between Barack Obama and Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The British Prime Minister gave the President a pen holder carved from the oak of HMS Gannet, which took part in anti-slavery operations. Obama gave Brown 25 DVDs.

Which seems a fair, thoughtful exchange. Except that when Gordon sat down to enjoy, let's say, Porky's II, he only received an eyeful of disappointment.

As many of us who have smuggled DVDs back from the US know, they are only coded to work in North America. When a Daily Telegraph reporter called Washington to report this small technical point was missed, "A White House spokesman sniggered....He was still looking into the matter when my deadline came last night."