WE GOT THE PURITANS YOU KEPT THE DROSS:

I'm not in love with Uncle Sam, but how come the U.S. can jail political crooks and we can't? (Stephen Glover, 8th March 2007, Daily Mail)

We should resist the temptation to believe things are always better ordered in other countries, but it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that politicians, senior public servants and crooked financiers are more likely to be held to account in the United States than here.

Take the case of Lewis 'Scooter' Libby, who has just been convicted in Washington of obstruction, perjury and lying.

Mr Libby was chief of staff to Vice-President Dick Cheney and therefore, since Mr Cheney has been such an important number two to George Bush, a very powerful figure.

Nevertheless, he is facing a prison sentence of up to 25 years, though he is likely to be incarcerated for a much shorter period. He owes his conviction in large measure to the efforts of a tireless chief prosecutor called Patrick Fitzgerald, who, incidentally, is also trying to put away the former Press tycoon Conrad Black.

Compare the robustness of the American system which has ensnared Scooter Libby, and may possibly do for Lord Black, with the more flaccid British approach.