Tonight:
5°c
Tony Blair's supporters admit defeat in bid to win EU presidency
Joe Murphy, Political Editor16 Nov 2009
Allies of Tony Blair today conceded he is unlikely to win his fight to become Europe's first full-time president.
Soundings taken among EU leaders by his supporters suggest there is little chance of a victory when the historic appointment is decided over a lavish dinner on Thursday night.
Hopes also faded in Downing Street, although Gordon Brown was said to be continuing to promote his predecessor. Diplomats say the current mood is to pick someone from a small country with little international power instead of a "heavyweight" such as Mr Blair.
Shadow foreign secretary William Hague today urged the Prime Minister to abandon Mr Blair and instead lobby for a Briton to secure a top economic post on the European Commission.
He said the campaign for Mr Blair had been a mistake and showed how Mr Brown's "diminished authority" had put him under the influence of Mr Blair's old ally Lord Mandelson.
Reader views (12)
End of the day, Blair got too much too wrong. For all his Phineas T Barnum style of razzle dazzle he was an empty vessel. And it showed. Why would a man who created such disaster and was a failure as a Prime Minister of his own country, ever be voted in to be President of the EU?
Sad thing about Blair is that he's still fooling himself.
- James, London, 16/11/2009 18:45
Report abuse
The true cost of Membership to the EU:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DxPnjOBlRI
Time to leave and fend for ourselves.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 16/11/2009 16:05
Report abuse
Before opening the bubbly, consider that the strongest contender for President of the new country is the Belgian Prime Minister, who intends to place the E.U. symbol everywhere possible to indoctrinate the young (and if possible, some of the not so young) to the new country. He wants in particular to put the symbol in classrooms and on ID cards, and wants the E.U. flag displayed in as many places as possible. Of course, controlling the education of the young and manipulating their thought process was a major feature of the Big Brother regime in Orwell's '1984'. If the young are indoctrinated well now with thinking of the E.U. as their country and the U.K. as one of its provinces, possibly an allegiance and maybe even a fondness for the new country will slowly build -- much as the fondness the older generation will always retain for the U.K. they knew as a country when young. Though we all detest Blair, maybe in retrospect many will have wished him over this other contender. At least Blair would have appreciated that you can't shove the new country down Brits' throats too quickly, and approached that process at a slower pace!!
- Phil Jones, London UK, 16/11/2009 15:16
Report abuse
Hear hear - I'll drink too that as well!!
- Peter, Vienna, Austria, 16/11/2009 13:59
Report abuse
Even if this Mr Blair was not the warmonger who waged an illegal and criminal war based on lies it would be surreal to have for U.E. president a politician of the country which rejects its main institutions.
It would be farcical to have the U.E. president facing Inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot in the first quarter of next year.
- Frenchreader, Tours, France, 16/11/2009 13:12
Report abuse
good news at last, team u.k. is already discredited and
a euro laughing stock courtesy of blair, his cronies and
his dubious and inept policies. we are saved from further humilitation and, although i have my doubts, one hopes this defeat, if indeed there was ever a glimmer of a chance he could be 'MR BIG'will take the wind out of the sails of a vain glorious self serving great british embarrassment.
- M.O'Brien, london.uk, 16/11/2009 13:04
Report abuse
Ha, ha, ha best news I've heard..............
- Mrs, London, England, 16/11/2009 12:53
Report abuse
It was obvious many years ago that Ton had ambitions for the Presidency. He was loud in stating he would fight against this or that EU act which were against UK interest when they emerged but when the crunch arrived he backed away, every time. That included his last election promise to call a referendum on the new EU constitution. Was he promised the Presidency every time he backed away?
- Ralph, London, England, 16/11/2009 12:17
Report abuse
Excellent news
- Mark Russell, Limoges France, 16/11/2009 11:57
Report abuse
Poor lil ol Tony, *sheds tear*
- P Staker, London, 16/11/2009 11:49
Report abuse
Maybe there is a god after all.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one, 16/11/2009 11:48
Report abuse
"Allies of Tony Blair today conceded he is unlikely to win his fight to become Europe's first full-time president."
Good. This is great news.
What a disgrace this so called "politician" is and what a disgrace that the EU Presidency (a post that will be in charge of 375 million citizens) is being decided by shadowy gaggles of buddy politicians behind closed doors, without a single vote beig cast.
Every day we edge closer to being totally controlled by the oppressive,bureaucratic Federal Superatate that is the EUSSR.
- Anon Pc, London, UK, 16/11/2009 10:40
Report abuse
