FORMER British Ambassador Sir Christopher Meyer told Yorkshire's top businesspeople that they "know how to speak American".

That's why the UK has benefited so much from US investment, he told 520 members of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) at a dinner at York's National Railway Museum.

He said the relationship was why the UK was the single biggest investor in the US, generating about a million jobs, and why US companies generated roughly the same number in the UK.

But the former Washington DC Ambassador cautioned against relying on the "special relationship" between the two countries.

"A good relationship is not an end in itself. It is a means towards prosperity or security," he said. "Nor should the relationship be taken for granted."

He said he had been "particularly incensed" at the imposition of US steel tariffs "just as we were sending troops to help US marines in Afghanistan."

The supper, which celebrated the CBI's 40th anniversary, was introduced by CBI president John Sunderland, who is chairman of Cadbury Schweppes.

He spoke of his organisation's growing influence, helping Britain through the bad days like 1975 when inflation was 27 per cent and 30 million working days were lost in a year through strike action.

"How times have changed. Now Governments get criticised for undershooting inflation targets of two per cent," he said.

The third speaker was Ian McMillan, Yorkshire TV's "Investigative poet" and broadcaster, who had the black tie guests roaring with hilarity at his staccato ditties.

Updated: 09:40 Friday, April 22, 2005