The Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, has stepped in to help Michael
Fabricant who is planning a second visit to the United States for a
group from the west midlands. The visit by around 30 people in late May
next year will include a meeting and tea at the British Embassy in
Washington DC with the Ambassador, Sir David Manning. He will provide
an on the spot briefing of current issues affecting United
Kingdom-United States relations and a tour of the impressive official
Residence.

The 10 days visit which will include the sites in Washington and
Virginia follows on from a successful visit two years ago to Litchfield
in Connecticut. Michael says "Our alliance with the United States has
its ups and downs but is enduring. The original Litchfield visit
followed on from the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington and
demonstrated our solidarity with our friends across the ocean. At the
time, we met my US counterpart, Congresswoman Nancy Johnson, who
represents Litchfield in Washington. Having met her in Litchfield, we
hope to meet her again at the House of Representatives, their ‘House of
Commons’, in the nation’s capital. We will also be visiting a number of
historic sites, enjoying some good meals together, and I hope having a
good time as we did on the last occasion."

Michael is keen to open up the visit to anyone interested in furthering
UK-US relations. "The visit is non party-political and is open to
everyone who would like to participate. If anyone is interested in
joining us, please contact me for an itinerary and the cost. They
should write to me at the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA or email me
on the webform"
he says.