Special on menu is relationship at No 10’s barbecue

The warm weather beating down on the gardens of Lancaster House only seemed to emphasise the two leaders’ attempts to display their respect for one another, with the words “special”, “essential” and “unique” used time and time again by the men to describe the relationship between Britain and the United States.

On issues ranging from Libya to Afghanistan to the Middle East peace process, agreement was the first thing to trip from the lips of the two leaders, with Mr Cameron repeatedly saying “the president and I completely agree” and “I completely agree with Barack”.

And when during their joint press conference Mr Obama jokingly thanked the Prime Minister for the “typical London weather”, Mr Cameron’s expression seemed to say that if he could possibly have arranged the sunshine for his new best friend, he most certainly would have.

The appearance will have gone some way to dismiss fears that the first African-American and Hawaiian president failed to share his predecessor’s instinctive affinity for Britain and that he had his gaze turned to other parts of the globe.

But while reaffirming the special relationship, the two men also took care to draw a distinction with the partnership of George Bush and Tony Blair, whose personal “blood pact” took their countries to war in Iraq.

There was also none of the friendliness seen between Blair and Bill Clinton or the personal joshing indulged in by Mr Bush when he joked that he and Mr Blair shared the same toothpaste.

Instead there was a sense of mutual regard and respect as the pair listened intently and nodded gravely to one another’s responses.

As they explained what “Barack and I” or “David and I” thought, it was difficult for the assembled press to discern a single point of contention sullying the harmonious transatlantic understanding.

The only inkling of potential discord came when Mr Obama suggested that both the US and Britain would need to be ready to make “adjustments” to their deficit reduction plans if programmes did not work out as they hoped – something which came perilously close to Labour’s demand for George Osborne to draw up a “Plan B” for the economy.

However this disagreement on policy was nowhere to be seen earlier in the day when the pair forged a special relationship of a culinary nature at a Downing Street barbecue for military families.

The two leaders gamely dished up burgers and sausages to their guests while their wives, Samantha and Michelle, spooned side dishes onto plates.

About 150 American and British service members sat at wooden tables in the garden behind Number 10 and the Prime Minister and the President appeared at ease as they performed their catering duties in shirt sleeves, chatting and laughing while they worked.

The two first ladies also smiled and chatted as they played hostesses, Mrs Cameron dressed in a pale summer dress and green belt and Mrs Obama in a brown patterned jumper and skirt.

Even the menu appeared to reflect the strong transatlantic bond the two countries have insisted upon so firmly, featuring both British and American dishes and the bilateral partnership was further symbolised by the interspersed Union flag and Stars and Stripes bunting draped overhead.

The atmosphere was a mixture of genteel English garden party and sombre military occasion, with the guests perhaps somewhat overawed by their VIP hosts.

Minutes after pictures of the event started circulating online, fashion experts identified Mrs Cameron’s dress as a number from the new collection by Glaswegian designer Jonathan Saunders. Mrs Obama, meanwhile, championed was in an outfit by New Yorker Tracy Reese.

At the press conference later, Mr Obama had high praise for the “outstanding” barbecue he had just enjoyed, while Mr Cameron won a laugh from his guest by joking that the meal meant he was the first British PM to be able to claim he has given the US president “a grilling”.

There was also heartfelt appreciation from the president for the condolences offered by Mr Cameron for the deaths in this week’s devastating tornados in Missouri.

“Knowing that we have got friends here in the United Kingdom who care deeply and offer their thoughts and prayers makes all the difference in the world,” said the president.