Oh for the record.Last night's University Challenge

[Peter]

Because the Americans had us by the balls and were squeezing to ensure we dismantled the empire as quickly as humanly possible.

Hmmmmmm....I think it was also no longer paying its way. The 20th century was hugely eating into the profits of empire and escalating the costs of defending it.

[Burney]

Hmmmmmm....I think it was also no longer paying its way. The 20th century was hugely eating into the profits of empire and escalating the costs of defending it.

Oh, sure. We were going to leave anyway. The disastrous haste with which we did so was dictated by the yanks, though.