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Brown gives up on Blair and seeks EU consolation prize
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor19 Nov 2009
Gordon Brown all but gave up on Tony Blair's hopes of becoming EU President today and embarked instead on a “Plan B” to clinch a top economic post for Britain.
As the Prime Minister arrived in Brussels for the most acrimonious European summit in years, officials admitted opposition to Mr Blair was too strong.
With Foreign Secretary David Miliband ruling himself out of the running for the post of EU foreign affairs chief, the UK has found itself squeezed by a Franco-German plan to carve up the top jobs.
But in a bid to ensure Britain doesn't leave empty handed, Mr Brown today launched a rival plan. Senior British sources revealed that Mr Brown would “bang the drum” for Mr Blair but said that he was also keen to use the presidency as “leverage” for another important Brussels post — possibly Financial Services Commissioner.
In a surprise move, sources also stressed that the foreign affairs post was still not totally ruled out for a Briton.
Mr Brown's Plan B move is part of a drive to make sure that Britain protects the City of London from attacks by European rivals who want to target the lucrative hedge funds and other institutions not currently caught by regulators.
Paris and Frankfurt have long complained about the lack of regulation in the City.
While Mr Brown has led moves to crack down on bonuses and risk, he also fears EU rivals will exploit the financial crisis to attack London's lead.
Mr Blair's biographer Anthony Seldon today revealed the former premier's disappointment at losing out on the top job. The former premier was furious at David Cameron's warning to the EU not to pick him, he said.
Seldon told Prospect magazine that Mr Blair saw the post as a major “opportunity to round off unfinished prime ministerial business: making the EU a cohesive power bloc”.
He has been left deeply “disappointed that many of his friends in Europe, and a number of fellow countrymen, didn't do more for his cause”.
Seldon claimed that Mr Blair now admits he was “naive about the realities of coming to power in 1997” but that he also had “naive expectations about his influence after stepping down” and also had only “a vague sense of his post-premiership aims and how he could best achieve them”.
Top candidates for the post
HERMAN VAN ROMPUY, Belgian prime minister
The premier, 62, is seen as frontrunner. Keeps feuding factions together in his coalition. Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy think centre-Right Van Rompuy would be a “chairman not a chief executive”. Writes Japanese-style poetry.
Odds 4/9
JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER, Luxembourg prime minister
Europe's longest-serving leader and architect of the EU's Maastricht Treaty, which led to the creation of the euro, the 54-year-old has on many occasions acted as a mediator between bigger nations on contentious EU issues.
Odds 7/1
TONY BLAIR, Former British prime minister
Has global presence to “stop traffic” in world capitals, but Iraq still haunts him as several European governments resented his alliance with George W Bush. Smaller states fear Mr Blair, 56, would neglect their interests in favour of the bigger nations.
Odds 4/1
VAIRA VIKE-FREIBERGA, Former Latvian president
“Iron Lady of the East” steered her former Soviet Republic nation into Nato and the EU as president for two terms between 1999 and 2007. She said she was furious at suggestions that the post should go to a man.
Odds 9/1
JAN PETER BALKENENDE, Dutch prime minister
Having led four successive coalitions, he has “chairman” skills and could be a “reluctant” compromise. Detractors of the centre-Right premier, 53, point out that he was in charge when Dutch voters rejected the EU constitution in 2005.
JOHN BRUTON, Former Irish prime minister
The 62-year-old holds the key role of EU ambassador to the US. As his five-year term is nearing an end, Mr Bruton joined the race for the EU presidency. The Washington role and time served as the vice-president of the European People's Party make him a strong outside bet.
Odds 20/1
Odds 8/1
Reader views (22)
The six candidates all look barking mad!,weird hairstyles,some with dark satanic eyes,and one that looks like its having its gender reasigned1!,God help us all.
- Major Hardly Worthit, Bent Kent, Region 1648A EUSSR., 19/11/2009 14:33
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And so our country is well on its way to becoming no more than a US-style state. A governor like Arnold Schwarzenegger will be as powerful than the British prime minister. And the British people will be even easier to ignore than we are now.
At least we'll have the minor pleasure of seeing Tony Blair, one of the men most responsible, denied his 30 pieces of silver.
- Kevin T, Beckenham, Kent, 19/11/2009 14:05
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For Gods Sake,why does not the uk wake upto the fact that its world and european standing has become minscule.Since we joined the EU we have done nothing but winge winge winge.We have to wake upto the fact that New Labour ruined us in more ways that can be imagined,indeed if we were not english speaking peoples it would be far far worse.The UK would benefi if it shut up took the Euro and realized what it really has become.When Margaret Thatscher was ousted as PM a far greater damage was committed than can ever be imagined .So stop whinging,if our poiticians want us to leave so be it and I can assure you all Europe would say good riddance.They are not reliant on the UK backwater.
- Bernard Michaelis, london england and sparneck germany, 19/11/2009 13:47
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EU politicians can't be trusted? surprise!
rather than whinge about a stitch up, the real question is how McBottle was so naive.
- Scotty, London, 19/11/2009 13:06
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Now that the Lisbon Treaty has been agreed we need to complete the EU with the appointment of a President. It seems we will wake up tomorrow with former PM Tony Blair as the person having the honour of holding that post and in doing so making history.
With the Lisbon Treaty we have lost the veto in many important areas of decision making, improving the decision making process for all.
With 27 countries and nearly 500 million citizens it is essential that the EU members start working to restore the economy, reducing unemployment, protecting and improving the environment and taking measures to improve health.I would favour enlargement to include Turkey but that may be some way off.
I would like to be there when Mr Cameron first meets President Blair, a truly historic moment.
- Sam, London,UK, 19/11/2009 12:53
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After reading this article I certainly hope Mr Van Rompuy is elected.We DO NOT want Turkey as part of the EU.Good on Germany and France for opposing this as well.
- Luke, London, 19/11/2009 12:25
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The last thing we want is an Englishman as EU President, far better a Frenchman,or German???
- Brian, London, 19/11/2009 12:04
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"It also emerged that the Belgian shares Paris and Berlin's opposition to allowing Turkey to join the EU."
That is stated as if it is a bad thing? I'd vote for the Belgian on this issue alone.
But alas voting is a luxury that us mere mortals can ill afford. Democracy does not exist in the new Federal Europe that we now belong to thanks to Communist Broon and the rest of his corrupt socialist scum.
Labour have broken this society both morally and financially ~ vote UKIP.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 19/11/2009 11:29
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Nothing like a democratic election! And this is nothing like a democratic election . . . It makes a complete mockery of voting for anything, really!
- Roz, France, 19/11/2009 11:29
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Big Brother is always right. We love Big Brother. Long Live Big Brother.
- John Frum, Bracknell, 19/11/2009 11:23
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whatis this "all night " session? mucho maco. slaving for taxpayers? why , at least , not try to be responsible ? they ought to go to bed as normal and wake uo in the morning fresh enough to make this important decision. i do not like my future being decided by tired grumpy nd disoriented people who have not slept.
rory
- Rory Conway, cork , ireland, 19/11/2009 11:22
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What a pathetic wretched country we must be if we propose a totally seedy, discredited, politician for the role of President of Europe, who is 'persona non grata' in his own country. I think the world no longer even laughs at our antics, as, they are to embarrassed!
- Kevin J Sullivan, Roehampton, London, 19/11/2009 11:21
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We will not need a parliament then.
- Shallotman, Basildon, 19/11/2009 11:12
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Does anybody out there still believe that the European Union is interested in the thoughts and wishes of its people?,its this taxpayers inherent naivety about the whole kit and caboodle that has brought about our very downfall,its far too late folks to stop the communist poison from within,I repeat, far too late.
- Jacob, Canterbury Kent., 19/11/2009 10:47
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President of our new country, and we don't get the least say! Wake up, Britain! There exists a party that wants to return the U.K. to a self-governing country where the people you elect to Westminster alone determine the laws governing your daily lives. At present 70%+ of the laws governing the British are being passed offshore, and just rubber-stamped at Westminster. Self-government is gone. Wake up and break the silly bonds of the past. Stop with the Tory to Labour to Tory to Labour to Tory to Labour thinking that has given so much of British sovereignty away over 40 years. Open your minds, and vote U.K.I.P. in 2010.
- Phil Jones, London UK, 19/11/2009 10:14
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God help us but revolution may be the only way to set us free. Our parents, grand parents and great grand parents fought to keep the UK free...and our generation sit back and watch our country being raped by Blair et. al.
- Martin, cheltenham, 19/11/2009 10:02
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Stand by for an avalanche of draconian new laws, which have already been devised, and are to be rolled out now that the Lisbon Treaty has been signed. An Orwellian superstate is in the making.
- Neil, London, London UK, 19/11/2009 09:59
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Its a non-job for an undemocratic organization, so its of no consequence who gets it to the long suffering UK citizen who can see through the whole corrupt, centralising, and wasteful monster that is the EU. On that basis, it's likely that Blair will take the job, as he has the ideal personality for it.
- Jon Kent, Hertford. UK, 19/11/2009 09:15
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On second thoughts maybe we should give the job to Blair. Everybody deserves a second chance to redeem themselves. It might be the making of him. Humility is the grace of pomp and circumstance.
- Dhan Raj, Basildon, 19/11/2009 08:57
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What a farce! Having managed to railroad the Lisbon Treaty through without any popular support, the EU's leaders now engage in yet another round of horse trading behind closed doors, and then expect us to believe it to be a democratic process.
This travesty is what Cameron concludes we can do nothing about. Oh for a politician with a spine!
My vote goes to UKIP.
- John C, Leatherhead, UK, 19/11/2009 08:51
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Oh I'm so glad we're living in a democracy.
Isn't it comforting to know that the future EU President (AKA Supreme Ruler of the EUSSR Federal Superstate) who will be in charge of over 375 million people in over 27 countries) is going to be chosen by a group of no more than 30 secretive politicians beind closed doors without a single vote being cast or a single question asked.
Sickening - and they keep telling us we're living in a democracy - what a joke!
George Orwell was spot on with his 1984.
- Anon Pc, London, UK, 19/11/2009 08:38
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Another soundbite another 10p tax why doesn't this man the worst PM in living memory go?
- Tojo, Hythe Kent, 19/11/2009 07:53
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