Andrew:

Let it not be forgotten, please, that the Brit/American conservatism

exchanges began with me quoting the Spectator’s Stuart Reid thus: “We [i.e.

Brits] don’t have the moral intensity of Americans, nor do we have their

Manichaean certainties. In other words, we are not as good as the Americans,

but neither are we as hysterical.”

You can call that a back-handed compliment if you like, but it’s still a

compliment.