French president blames Mandelson for Irish 'No' vote in EU summit outburst

Nicolas Sarkozy's outburst electrified an EU summit bogged down by rows over Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon Treaty.

And it brought unlikely support from Gordon Brown, Mr Mandelson's most bitter enemy in politics.

EU leaders stayed up late arguing over how much pressure to put on Dublin to vote again, amid fears that the constitutional project could collapse.

Asked who should take responsibility for the outpouring of public hostility to the EU in Ireland, Mr Sarkozy said just one word: 'Mandelson'.

Spat: Nicolas Sarkozy rounded on Peter Mandelson at the EU summit in Brussels

It was meant as a joke, but the French president has clashed repeatedly with the Labour spindoctor turned EU trade commissioner who is a figure of hate in France and Ireland for his tough talk against food subsidies during world trade negotiations.

Mr Sarkozy said issues which fuelled Irish concerns included euthanasia, abortion and the world trade talks  -  adding bluntly: 'A child dies of starvation every 30 seconds and the Commission wanted to reduce European agriculture production by 21 per cent during World Trade Organisation talks.

'This was really counterproductive.'

The EU is still reeling from last week's referendum, when the Irish voted by 54pc against the Lisbon Treaty, which was agreed last year to replace the proposed constitution.

Without the approval of all 27 member states it cannot go ahead next year as planned, prompting Brussels and EU superpowers France and Germany to try to force Ireland to think again.

Warm words in public about giving Ireland 'time and space' to consider its position could not disguise bitterness behind the scenes after it emerged that Mr Sarkozy had branded the Irish 'bloody fools'.

The French president, who takes over the EU presidency next month, threatened to prevent new countries  -  notably Croatia  -  from joining if Ireland refuses to come on board.

Mr Brown said Ireland should not be 'bullied' into a second referendum but has been reluctant to declare the Lisbon Treaty dead.

He has pressed ahead with British ratification and forced it through the Lords in time for the summit, which ended yesterday with an agreement to delay a decision to October.

'Entente formidable': Gordon Brown with President Sarkozy on Thursday

But he faced a rebuff from the High Court after a judge called on the Government to put off British ratification until a legal challenge from Tory millionaire Stuart Wheeler has been decided.

The Government claimed formal ratification would not take place until the documents are deposited in Rome, where the EU was founded, and that would not take place until after the judgment is issued next week.

Last night Mr Brown went further and called for the Lisbon Treaty to be saved, saying: 'Clearly we have got to get agreement on the Lisbon Treaty, that's the next step.'

And he rallied to the defence of Mr Mandelson by praising his work on a global trade deal.

'We need this trade deal and he is pushing for it.

'We support him in the excellent work that he is doing,' Mr Brown said.

Pointedly, he brushed aside a French proposal to cut VAT on fuel to help consumers coping with soaring oil prices.

Mr Mandelson denied he was the cause of the Irish vote and said he had 'shoulders broad enough and skin thick enough to take this.'

The draft summit declaration expressed 'respect' for the Irish ballot and gave Dublin until October to come up with fresh ideas.