Meryl Streep: Thanks England, for letting me trample over your history

Streep, 62, was named best actress for The Iron Lady, co-produced by Film 4 on a night of glory for British movie and TV talent including Kate Winslet, Idris Elba and the Downton Abbey team.

Accepting a record eighth Golden Globe, Streep was unable to give her full prepared speech as she had left her glasses at her table.

But later she said she disagreed with the former prime minister on politics and had a "very reductive" view of her until making the film. But she said it was "interesting to look at the human being behind the headlines".

Film honours also went to the British-made My Week with Marilyn, W.E. and the Martin Scorsese epic Hugo.

But British television was also on a high in Hollywood as Downton Abbey, ITV's country house drama, was named best mini-series.

Gallery: Winners at the Golden Globes

In pictures: Glitz and glamour at the Globes

Julian Fellowes, its creator, was joined on stage by stars Hugh Bonneville and American actress Elizabeth McGovern and said the win was "fabulous".

"The whole Downton adventure has been extraordinary. Like spotting a promising child and waking up to find they've won the Olympics - and that's what we've lived through," he said.

McGovern, who plays the Countess of Grantham, said of the show's popularity in the States: "I think they love the drama and the intrigue, and they also love the solidity of the life, that you're free of mobile phones and Twitter."

Hackney-based Idris Elba, who won fame when he moved to the States to play "Stringer" Bell in The Wire, took home his first Globe for the BBC detective series Luther against a mainly British shortlist of Bonneville, Bill Nighy for Page Eight and Dominic West for The Hour.

He dedicated the prize to his 10-year-old daughter, Isan, from his former marriage and added: "This is for the fans. I have the most loyal fans in the world."

In a relatively restrained speech, Kate Winslet paid tribute to her "beautiful children", Mia, 11, and Joe, eight, "who light up my life every day" as she collected her third globe for her role as a divorced single mother who opens a restaurant, in the US mini-series, Mildred Pierce.

She did not mention her new boyfriend, Ned Rocknroll, Richard Branson's nephew, who accompanied her to the ceremony. Michelle Williams was named best actress in a film musical or comedy as Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn, directed by Elizabeth McGovern's husband, Simon Curtis.

The win came 52 years after Monroe took the same prize for Some Like It Hot. America's biggest movie success came with The Descendants, which was named best drama and secured best acting honours for George Clooney as a man who discovers his wife is having an affair. In a reference to the sex addiction film Shame, Clooney thanked his rival, another Hackney-based actor Michael Fassbender, "for taking over the frontal nude responsibility".

It was also a good night for The Artist, which took three honours including best film in the comedy or musical category and best actor for the Frenchman Jean DuJardin, who plays a silent movie star made obsolete by the arrival of the talkies. DuJardin was upstaged last night by his canine co-star Uggie.

Martin Scorsese was the surprise winner of best director for Hugo, his first family film and his first foray into 3D, made at Pinewood Studio with a British cast led by Islington teenager Asa Butterfield. The director admitted it was his wife, Helen, who had urged him to make a children's movie, saying: "Why don't you make a film our daughter can see for once?"

Ricky Gervais was less acerbic as compere than in his two previous outings in the role.

However, he did declare that the awards were like the Oscars but without the esteem.

"The Golden Globes are to the Oscars like Kim Kardashian is to Kate Middleton - a bit louder, bit drunker, bit trashier, and more easily bought. Allegedly."

After his controversial performance as Golden Globes host last year, Ricky Gervais was supposed to be chief mischief-maker. But this year Sir Elton John and Madonna supplied the acerbic put-downs, as rivals for best song. US TV censors had to bleep out Sir Elton, 64, when he said: "Madonna hasn't got a f***ing chance." When interviewer Carson Daly replied: "They are fighting words," Sir Elton added: "No, they're accurate words."

Madonna hit back, saying: "Damn him ... may the best man win." After Masterpiece from her film W.E, beat Sir Elton's Hello, Hello from Gnomeo and Juliet, she said: "I hope he speaks to me for the next million years. He'll win another award though, so I don't feel so bad." Gervais came off second best when he introduced Madonna as "like a virgin" while stifling a laugh. Taking to the stage to present best foreign language film, she replied: "If I'm just like a virgin, Ricky, why don't you come over here and do something about it."