As European and American officials attempt to assess the damage done to trans-Atlantic relations by the Iraq war, comparatively little energy is spent examining ties between the U.S. and Britain.

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher gave this speech ("The Bruges Speech") to the College of Europe in Bruges, on September 20, 1988. She discussed Britian's sovereignty and the emerging monetary and political union in Europe.

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher gave this speech on July 3, 1982, about a month after Argentina surrended to Britain in the Falklands War.

The British National Archives states, "In 1833 Parliament passed a further act to abolish slavery in the British West Indies, Canada and the Cape of Good Hope (southern Africa), meaning that it was now illegal to buy or own a person. However, slavery continued in other areas of the British Empire including the territories run by the East India Company, Ceylon (modern day Sri Lanka) and St Helena."

The National Archives of the UK website states, regarding the British Parliament Slavery Abolition Act of 1807, "Despite opposition from a variety of people with vested interests, the abolitionists and their supporters persisted. In 1806, Lord Grenville made a passionate speech arguing that the trade was 'contrary to the principles of justice, humanity and sound policy'. When the bill to abolish the slave trade was finally voted upon, there was a majority of 41 votes to 20 in the Lords and a majority of 114 to 15 in the Commons.

On 25 March 1807, the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act entered the statute books. Nevertheless, although the Act made it illegal to engage in the slave trade throughout the British colonies, trafficking between the Caribbean islands continued, regardless, until 1811."

England’s Bill of Rights was passed by Parliament on December 16, 1689. Among its provisions: “that the pretended power of suspending the laws or the execution of laws by regal authority without consent of Parliament is illegal” and “that the freedom of speech and debates or proceedings in Parliament ought not to be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of Parliament”.