TL;DR: The US is doing something internationally illegal and dodgy on the island and is scrambling to prevent anything that would highlight its shame. This is part of the hostile and, frankly bizarre, approach of Biden's administration towards the UK with respects to Foreign Policy and cooperation notably refusing to help bring Harry Dunn's killer to justice, to blocking Ben Wallace's bid for NATO chair.

Sigh. Don't we have few enough friendly partner nations?

On the one hand, I get it. Your first job is to protect the interests of the nation (or state, or county) you're elected to serve. On the other hand, Jesus H Fucking Christ on a Stick, can we for once stop acting like the bully who thinks they're above the law?

Oh US, next time you want to renew a lease for a strategically important base, the answer is no until you stop being dicks.*

• this is what should happen, but will not. No one ever holds the US to account.

As a Brit, it's so painfully embarrassing how 1 sided this special relationship is. We are certainly the sub. The whole Assange complicity was intolerable.