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Diplomat's position uncertain after letter giving frank verdict on Democratic candidate
By Leonard Doyle in Washington
Friday, 3 October 2008
The British ambassador to Washington faces calls to resign after he described the US Presidential candidate Barack Obama as "uninspiring" and said his policies are "still evolving".
In a leaked seven-page letter addressed to Gordon Brown, Sir Nigel Sheinwald gives a startling insight into how the Foreign Office views the meteoric rise of the US Presidential candidate. He requested that officials "protect the contents". But the leak seems certain to put a question mark over his position as ambassador.
Last night the embassy tried to limit the damage, saying: "We are totally neutral as far as the American elections are concerned."
The ambassador characterises Mr Obama as a "decidedly liberal" senator and repeats the often-heard mantra of his critics that he is an elitist.
Sir Nigel wrote: "He can talk too dispassionately for a national campaign about issues which touch people personally, e.g his notorious San Francisco comments about small-town Pennsylvania 'clinging' to guns and religion."
Following his defeat of Mrs Clinton he had revealed himself as "tough and competitive. You don't beat Clinton without being resilient," he wrote, but "his energy levels do dip and he can be uninspiring e.g in debates".
The letter was written ahead of the Democratic nominee's visit to Downing Street this summer. It said Mr Obama "resists pigeon-holing" and that he would "have less of a track record than any recent President".
Even the idea of interference in the elections from outside the US could cause a diplomatic incident. The embassy apologised to John McCain's campaign last month after an article written in Mr Brown's name praised the Democratic candidate.
From the outset, the embassy underestimated Mr Obama, and Mr Brown only met him face to face near the end of the primary contest. In his letter Sir Nigel lavished praise on his speeches, describing them as "elegant" and "mesmerising", while repeating that that has "star quality".
But in another cutting remark, he said Mr Obama "has talked at least since the 1980s about a shot at the Presidency". Mr Obama was in his 20s at the time, and according to his biographer, David Mendell, was exploring a career as a writer while working as a community organiser in the slums of Chicago. Mrs Clinton's campaign claimed that he had shown Pesidential ambitions in kindergarten.
Sir Nigel boasts unrivalled contacts within the Bush Administration and has closely followed the career of Hillary Clinton. But he also has reputation as being abrasive, and the leak of such a pointedly critical, albeit private letter, to Mr Brown may damage future relations with an Obama administration.
Sir Nigel predicts clashes with an Obama administration over Iran. "If Obama wins, we will need to consider with him the articulation between (a) his desire for 'unconditional' dialogue with Iran and (b) our and the [United Nations Security Council's requirement of prior suspension of enrichment before the nuclear negotiations proper can begin."
But Sir Nigel – who describes the Iraq war as "Bush's Iraq adventure" said Mr Obama's Iraq policy, was practically identical to Britain's. "Whatever the detail, our own proposed transition in south-east Iraq would be consistent with Obama's likely approach."
The CV: Sir Nigel Sheinwald
Sir Nigel Sheinwald, 55, is one of Britain's top diplomats. Educated at Harrow County School for Boys and then Balliol College, Oxford, he joined the Foreign Office in 1976 on the Japan desk. He was based in Moscow for a short time before returning to London to work in the Rhodesia and Zimbabwe department. In the early 1990s, he was made a permanent representative to the EU in Brussels, before heading the Foreign Office news department from 1995 to 1998. However, it was after Labour came to power in 1997 that he began to make a bigger impact. He established an excellent working relationship with the new foreign secretary, Robin Cook, and became close to Tony Blair. He served as the prime minister's senior foreign policy adviser between 2003 and 2007. Sir Nigel's biggest diplomatic coups came in 2003, when he took part in secret talks with Colonel Muammar Gaddafi that led to Libya abandoning nuclear weapons, and in 2006, when he secured the release of 15 British sailors who were captured near Iraq by Iranian troops. Those who have met Sir Nigel say he can be abrasive and intellectually overbearing, an image reinforced by his height and powerful build.
Sir Nigel Sheinwald (centre) with Tony Blair and George Bush during a G8 summit in Russia in 2006
By Leonard Doyle in Washington
Friday, 3 October 2008
The British ambassador to Washington faces calls to resign after he described the US Presidential candidate Barack Obama as "uninspiring" and said his policies are "still evolving".
In a leaked seven-page letter addressed to Gordon Brown, Sir Nigel Sheinwald gives a startling insight into how the Foreign Office views the meteoric rise of the US Presidential candidate. He requested that officials "protect the contents". But the leak seems certain to put a question mark over his position as ambassador.
Last night the embassy tried to limit the damage, saying: "We are totally neutral as far as the American elections are concerned."
The ambassador characterises Mr Obama as a "decidedly liberal" senator and repeats the often-heard mantra of his critics that he is an elitist.
Sir Nigel wrote: "He can talk too dispassionately for a national campaign about issues which touch people personally, e.g his notorious San Francisco comments about small-town Pennsylvania 'clinging' to guns and religion."
Following his defeat of Mrs Clinton he had revealed himself as "tough and competitive. You don't beat Clinton without being resilient," he wrote, but "his energy levels do dip and he can be uninspiring e.g in debates".
The letter was written ahead of the Democratic nominee's visit to Downing Street this summer. It said Mr Obama "resists pigeon-holing" and that he would "have less of a track record than any recent President".
Even the idea of interference in the elections from outside the US could cause a diplomatic incident. The embassy apologised to John McCain's campaign last month after an article written in Mr Brown's name praised the Democratic candidate.
From the outset, the embassy underestimated Mr Obama, and Mr Brown only met him face to face near the end of the primary contest. In his letter Sir Nigel lavished praise on his speeches, describing them as "elegant" and "mesmerising", while repeating that that has "star quality".
But in another cutting remark, he said Mr Obama "has talked at least since the 1980s about a shot at the Presidency". Mr Obama was in his 20s at the time, and according to his biographer, David Mendell, was exploring a career as a writer while working as a community organiser in the slums of Chicago. Mrs Clinton's campaign claimed that he had shown Pesidential ambitions in kindergarten.
Sir Nigel boasts unrivalled contacts within the Bush Administration and has closely followed the career of Hillary Clinton. But he also has reputation as being abrasive, and the leak of such a pointedly critical, albeit private letter, to Mr Brown may damage future relations with an Obama administration.
Sir Nigel predicts clashes with an Obama administration over Iran. "If Obama wins, we will need to consider with him the articulation between (a) his desire for 'unconditional' dialogue with Iran and (b) our and the [United Nations Security Council's requirement of prior suspension of enrichment before the nuclear negotiations proper can begin."
But Sir Nigel – who describes the Iraq war as "Bush's Iraq adventure" said Mr Obama's Iraq policy, was practically identical to Britain's. "Whatever the detail, our own proposed transition in south-east Iraq would be consistent with Obama's likely approach."
The CV: Sir Nigel Sheinwald
Sir Nigel Sheinwald, 55, is one of Britain's top diplomats. Educated at Harrow County School for Boys and then Balliol College, Oxford, he joined the Foreign Office in 1976 on the Japan desk. He was based in Moscow for a short time before returning to London to work in the Rhodesia and Zimbabwe department. In the early 1990s, he was made a permanent representative to the EU in Brussels, before heading the Foreign Office news department from 1995 to 1998. However, it was after Labour came to power in 1997 that he began to make a bigger impact. He established an excellent working relationship with the new foreign secretary, Robin Cook, and became close to Tony Blair. He served as the prime minister's senior foreign policy adviser between 2003 and 2007. Sir Nigel's biggest diplomatic coups came in 2003, when he took part in secret talks with Colonel Muammar Gaddafi that led to Libya abandoning nuclear weapons, and in 2006, when he secured the release of 15 British sailors who were captured near Iraq by Iranian troops. Those who have met Sir Nigel say he can be abrasive and intellectually overbearing, an image reinforced by his height and powerful build.
Sir Nigel Sheinwald (centre) with Tony Blair and George Bush during a G8 summit in Russia in 2006
