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Miliband looks likely for top job as Blair's chances fades away
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor30 Oct 2009
David Miliband replaced Tony Blair today as the Briton most likely to win a top EU job after the former premier ran into concerted opposition at the Brussels summit.
As the Czech government removed the final hurdle to the creation of the post of EU President, Mr Blair's chances of winning the plum title appeared to fade amid doubts from Germany, Spain and a raft of smaller countries.
But Mr Miliband emerged as a front-runner for the newly created post of foreign affairs chief to represent the 27-nation bloc. Allies said that the Foreign Secretary could "do a Mandelson" by spending a few years in Brussels before returning to the UK for a possible crack at becoming Labour leader.
Amid intense horse-trading on the margins of the EU summit today, it emerged that the centre-Right and Left-wing party groupings across Europe are stitching up a deal to share out the top posts. Centre-right nations such as Germany and France want one of their own to get the President's job, leaving the foreign affairs post to the socialist grouping - of which Labour is a key member.
A YouGov/Telegraph poll today found that fewer than one in three voters want Mr Blair to become European President. British diplomatic sources also began to play down his chances, pointing to a "distinct lack of overwhelming enthusiasm from the French and the Germans".
EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso last night welcomed the removal of the "last political hurdle" to the creation of both posts as the Lisbon Treaty edged closer to full ratification.
Czech President Vaclav Klaus, whose country is the last to hold out against agreeing the blueprint, is expected to sign next week. A summit within weeks will then select a president and foreign affairs "high representative".
Mr Blair still has an outside chance, but his undeclared campaign suffered an "attack of the dwarves" last night as smaller nations said they wanted a chairman of summits rather than a powerful, globe-trotting executive.
Mr Blair still has the support of Italy's Silvio Berlusconi, but French President Nicolas Sarkozy appeared to weaken his backing after strong pressure from German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Even Ireland is backing off its support after its former prime minister John Bruton threw his hat in the ring. At a key dinner in Paris on Wednesday night, Ms Merkel emphasised to Mr Sarkozy that the centre-Right European People's Party grouping needed one of its own to become the president.
Spanish premier José Luis Zapatero publicly warned against a Blair presidency, preferring a "real European" from a country that was part of the euro and believed in closer integration.
Mr Miliband's name is on the European Socialist Group's list of candidates for the "high representative" post. By going to Brussels, he would avoid a possible bitter battle for the Labour Party leadership if next year's general election is lost.
His appointment would trigger yet another unwanted by-election for Gordon Brown, but would make it easier for Alan Johnson, Ed Balls or Ed Miliband to become Labour leader.
Reader views (33)
Given the man's track record, what astonishes me is that he was ever even considered as a candidate, that it was ever a possibility that he could get this job, and that people have kept a straight face while debating whether or not he would get it...
- Stella, Northants, 30/10/2009 15:44
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Milliband would be a great foreign affairs chief; he's erudite, passionate and a good communicator. With the current state of the Labour party he would be wise to hone his talents on a world stage before returning to lead the Labour party, if by then he wants to at all.
- Keith Grey, London, UK, 30/10/2009 15:30
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......... Further, there is not chance South Shields (Milliband's seat) will vote anything but Labour, its no risk to Labour having a by-election.
- Dave Morris, Sunderland UK, 30/10/2009 15:16
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"If Milly is lining himself up to be EU Foreign Supremo, this must mean that he knows he will be out of a job in a few month's time. Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one".
He won't have a minister's job but the chance of Milliband losing his South Shields seat (North East Enland) is zero.
- Dave Morris, Sunderland UK, 30/10/2009 15:13
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Out of 27 countries, is this the best they can come up with between them?
Doesn't say much for the EU does it.
- P Staker, London, 30/10/2009 15:01
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Come on, Boris.
You are our last hope.
- Loli, London UK, 30/10/2009 14:42
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If the president's job is pr promotion of europe then Tony Blair is the man. Milliband would be as useless as he is in his present job. No stature at all.
- Edwin, beaconsfield bucks, 30/10/2009 14:25
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Keith Price...enlighten us this time please, what is his superb record?
By the way you misquoted he does not "love his country dearly", he COSTS his country dearly.
Nice to see your typing back to precision after several mistyped posts recently, let's hope the rest of the tablets kick in soon.
- Dereck, London, England, 30/10/2009 13:45
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I will wager 12 bananas that Miliband the 7 year old is simply put on the list of "also ran". The EU leaders are in delusion to construct this wasteful EU edifice, but even they know that banana-toting Miliband is a primary school material. Relax and wat for a Dutch President and a Spanish foriegn minister. Even Sylvio Tuscan Tony's buddy is asking who this Tony is!
- Gary, London, 30/10/2009 13:41
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Is this why NuLabour wouldn't let us have a referendum on our membership of the EU, so that they could all get jobs when they get get kicked out of office here?
- Tojo, Hythe, Kent, 30/10/2009 13:40
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Miliband?! This is a joke right?
- Matt, Ruthin, 30/10/2009 13:39
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"Tony Blair certainly deserves to get the EU Presidency, based on his superb record alone, and also the fact that je is a fine, honest, family-man, who loves his country dearly"
Keith, I rank that comment right alongside the one you made asserting that all of the European leaders thought the world of him.
- Rogan, Irving, 30/10/2009 13:30
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Perhaps, as a result of this, even an ego as big as Blair's, will finally realise that the utter contempt felt by most people towards him, is not just limited to this country!
- Kevin Sullivan, Roehampton, London., 30/10/2009 13:23
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What a carve up and all so very USSR. What about a few elected ministers?
- Tony Gee, London, 30/10/2009 13:23
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The UK is in such a state now it seems everyone thinks the only way out is to go full steam ahead into Europe. Don't be fooled though... do they really believe everyone will trading away with each other...? Poor countries coming into line with their member states... a huge great happy family with a combined might to take on the rest of the world economically. The reality of the whole thing will be quite different. There will be a unelected elite with huge salaries and expenses being able to dictate rules and regulations onto countries who will have no say either way. The amount of money this will cost and is costing us is staggering… no amount of free trade can justify it. It’s the poorest who will lose out, paying their taxes into this huge organisation and getting nothing back in return. If our own government departments and councils can’t run themselves efficiently in a small county how are more departments not talking to each other going to help? Europe and the UK will be a mess; and there will be corruption like never seen before.
- Paul B, London, 30/10/2009 13:14
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Milliband will lose his seat at the next election. He'll be growing bananas next.
- Frederick, London, 30/10/2009 13:13
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oh what a FARCE. Blair the poodle miliband the Minor, to lead the EU, to where,oh the cheek of the new labour is that of a spiv i for the life of me fail to see the milibands as the brightest boys of the pack i see them them as an other newlabour spin and i cant wait for the VERY LONG AWAITED ELECTION when they will crawl back under the stones where they all seemed to come from
- John Patrick Green, nottingham, 30/10/2009 13:11
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keith Price, you owe me Lunch, as I just vomited the one I paid for. Tony Blair is the most dishonest person I can remeber in Politics, and that is really saying something!
Formula 1 smoking ban, dodgy Iraqi dossiers, cash for honours, EU rebate in exchange for Presidency, need I go on?
If he is really the best candidate that Britain can offer, we really need to look at how we get people with real integrity involved in British politics.
- Stephen, London, 30/10/2009 12:41
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God help us.
- John, Richmond, UK, 30/10/2009 12:09
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Tony Blair certainly deserves to get the EU Presidency, based on his superb record alone, and also the fact that je is a fine, honest, family-man, who loves his country dearly
- Keith Price, Luton England, 30/10/2009 11:48
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If Milly is lining himself up to be EU Foreign Supremo, this must mean that he knows he will be out of a job in a few month's time. Just goes to show that MPs are more bothered about feathering their own nests than doing the jobs that they are elected to perform.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one, 30/10/2009 11:45
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The three bad B: Blair, Bush and Berlusconi, made the world a worse place to live in. Bush is gone, hopefully Blair will have chance to return and the days of Berluscone gone. It is time for a new era with more thrustful leaders.
- Sbsb, London, United Kingdom, 30/10/2009 11:33
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On a point of order, Aliceband is aiming for "High Representative", not President. This "role" is equated with Foreign Secretary. Nevertheless, it is just as stomach-churning as Bliar's efforts to ingratiate himself with the EUSSR nomenklatura- doomed, because of his vomit-inducing support of Dubbyah.
In real life, can you imagine the likes of Aliceband being promoted to say, the main board of IBM, Microsoft, BMW, VW??? Not a chance in Hell. He wouldn't even make the longlist for the job of cleaning latrines, let alone anywhere near mission-critical parts of a business.
I have to pinch myself every day to establish that this ongoing nightmare is an awful reality and not a spoof.
- David Low, Cirencester, UK, 30/10/2009 11:24
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It strikes me as nothing short of a disgrace when the subject of Blair's and ZaNu Labour's pledge at the last election to grant the people a referendum on Europe, gets any sort of coverage, it is roundly dismissed and swept under the carpet as a non event.
I find myself in a pro Europe camp because the mess Blair and Brown have made of the UK means I doubt this island could offer much in isolation.
But the people must have the final say, and it is appalling that the Lisbon Treaty, a facsimile of the rejected European Constitution, that simply bypassed the people to be ratified by 'regional' parliaments (an act that could be construed as unconstitutional and indeed illegal.
Instead, Gordon Brown, himself with no mandate as Prime Minster, uses nefarious legerdemain to deny the people their right to choose, and even completely ignores public opinion by supporting a man whom he used to sulk behind when Chancellor.
If the people choose, then they have only themselves to blame if the UK suffers outside of Europe. As it is, the people could not do a worse job with the UK than New Labour have in 12 years
- John, Twickenham, 30/10/2009 11:15
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EDITED by admin @ 11.42 on October 30 2009
Breach of community guidelines
- Keith Price, Luton England, 30/10/2009 11:08
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Step backwards creepy Blair and step forward Miliband (bottler mk2)in his place? I don't think so. In fact, this miniature bottler will be hard pushed to remain an MP after David Cameron demolishes New Labour at the next General Election.
- Ted, London, 30/10/2009 10:58
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Three vile men of British politics, Blair, Mandelson and Alistair Campbell (never elected), should never, ever be rewarded with any kind of public office.
- William S, Bristol, 30/10/2009 10:39
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Brown's endorsement of Blair's ambitions has been a kiss of death.
As the British electorate have experienced for the past 12 years, the Blair and Brown team is a recipe for destruction and finally, after reducing Great Britain to a banana republic, they finally destroy each other.
- Bingham Macnamara, lymington, hampshire, 30/10/2009 10:38
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Ha! This must be a joke, right?
Banana boy Millipede as UNELECTED President of Europe? Do me a favour.
More importantly why will there be a European President who has never been elected by a single voter?
The idea that we are living in a democracy is a complete nonsense :
-Denied a vote on Lisbon Treat by Nu-Liebour despite a manifesto promise
-Denied a General Election by Coward Brown
-Irish "forced" to vote in favour of Lisbon DESPITE already voting overwhelmingly against it first time round
-Unelected Meddleslime
-No Freedom
-No free speech
-No Democracy
The likes of Bliar,Brown,Sarkozy,Berlusconi et. al with their corruption and anti-democratic acts make the likes of Mugabe and Ahmedinejad look like staunch democrats!
- Anon Pc, London Compound,Londongrad,EUSSR, 30/10/2009 10:28
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Failing Cameron giving the British people any say in a referendum, shortly we'll be part of a new country, the European Union. Amazing to change a people's country without giving them any say in the matter. Rioting on Parliament Square against Maggie Thatcher's poll tax, but just little whimpers against changing the country from the U.K. to the E.U., and changing the U.K. from country to province. Quite sad given the independence and self-government that has been given away. I happened to catch Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 'Thirty-nine Steps' last evening, and it captured what it was like to live in the U.K. at its height as an independent country. Sad to see it go. R.I.P. U.K. 1707-2009.
- Phil Jones, London UK, 30/10/2009 10:11
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If Milibanana lands a top job in Brussels, you can expect the disgraced Meddlesum to be appointed Chef de Cabinet in the EU and God help Joe Public if that happens.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR, 30/10/2009 10:09
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'Spanish premier José Luis Zapatero' prefered a "real European" from a country that was part of the euro and believed in closer integration. Democracy, what democracy. They already made up their minds with out a vote. And no I'm not against the EU, but would welcome a vote by all Europeans on the important issues. It would appear that no one has been asked about Lisbon or anything else because the political elite are affraid of the answer. The EU isn't democratic, it's a dictatorship. Unelected mandarins issue the dictats.
- Alan, carlisle uk, 30/10/2009 09:54
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Get any of this rotten bunch into positions of power in the EU and it might be a case of the UK being thrown out rather than leaving.
- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark, 30/10/2009 09:52
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