My opening post made my position completely clear: I thought a discussion would be useful, (and it is being so - very) and I made the title provocative to make sure lots of people would read the thread.

Did you not notice the question mark '?' ? That's a common-place, quick way to suggest irony and/or doubt over here. Of course I know that the people of your good country would, themselves, mostly welcome UK folkies, hence the '?' But the experience of friends who tour (and particualrly those who've given up touring for this very reason) in the USA, (including Grant, Hilary and Les, who have been badly treated), might lead some to believe the opposite. It's interesting and useful to read people's views.

I haven't disappeared! I only posted it this afternoon and I do have an album to mix.

For myself, when I 'gave up the day job' 5 years ago, a tour of the States was an obvious objective (and a life-long ambition) - but I heard so many stories from other Britfolkers (that's a closed web forum by the way - the one that set up RadioBritfolk, of which I was a prime mover) of the hurdles now being erected by the authorities, that I made a firm decision not to bother trying - for now, anyway.

If you want to know who I am, feel free to click Here.

I hear all the comments about providing time for the process to take place (and we're not immune to bumbling paperwork over here either), but I'm not hearing an explanation for this Cultural Uniqueness schick. I'd like to know what it means, who initiated it and crucially why, how it could apply to Les for years than suddenly not do so any longer, etc. Why should cultrual uniqueness be important anyway? Do business-people coming over to trade have to be culturally unique? Sports people?

I'm genuinely puzzled!