Even under the Tories, President Blair will be our man in Brussels 

Peter From Maidstone

I don't want Blair in any position of authority in the world under any circumstances. There is no spin that can be put on his possible candidacy. It would be intolerable. To even imagine him making a presidential visit to England!!!!!! Never!!!

strapworld

Mr Korski. Please refrain from insulting those who read and particpate on this blog.

Blair should, and I hope will one day soon, be on trial for war crimes. He most certainly should be facing another charge of treason after the bombshell of the report highlighting his policy to flood the country with immigrants.

ON that subject. May I say that the editor, Fraser Nelson, promised me, by nickname, and others a comment on that report and he has failed to do that.

Where is it? Mr Nelson?

Liz Brown

give me strength.........what part of "Bliar is universally LOATHED in Britian" does Korski not get?

paul hughes

Perhaps it's a matter of principle. Perhaps the man who deprived us of a promised referendum, who designed the post of "president", perhaps such a man shouldn't be allowed to manouevre himself into a position to win such a post. I don't care if Blair is God. He has no mandate, he has no right, he is a cynical, self serving cretin. This post should not exist and would not exist if Britain had been given its promised vote. For the man who cheated his own electorate to then win that position, it would be a travesty.

On the other hand, if it exposed the truly cynical state of EU politics, if it caused the "better off out" vote to rise, it might be a price worth paying...

Dennis Churchill

There seems to be no understanding among the political class just how much Blair is loathed by people right across the political spectrum in the UK.
The only group I can think of that favours him are Sinn Fein who confuse Nationalism with Anglophobia, which probably explains why they approve of him.

Short the UK

When Simpson & Mayo destroyed Marconi (GEC) they all but disappeared from the business world, thankfully. The destroyed much wealth and shattered many lives, they were failures.

Blair & Brown have shattered the UK economy. Blair lied us into a war in Iraq, in which our soldiers died. He decided to follow the Americans into the graveyard that is Afghanistan.

The man is a grade A failure. He should be hounded out of politics. It makes me sick to see people bigging up this trickster.

denis cooper

No doubt the President of the European Council would have to take an oath of office similar to that taken by European Commissioners, promising to serve the interests of the EU as a whole.

However as Blair is an incorrigible liar and hypocrite, of course that wouldn't stop him being "our man in Brussels".

But what would prevent him ever being "our man in Brussels" is this - that he was never "our man" anywhere at any time, including when he was in Westminster and Downing Street, and he will never be "our man" in the future.

denis cooper

Rather off this topic, people should be aware that from midnight tomorrow there will be no legally constituted European Commission.

One Commissioner, the President, has recently been re-appointed according to the correct procedure laid down in the treaties.

As for the rest, their five-year terms expire at midnight on October 31st, and there is no specific legal basis in the treaties for the term of a Commissioner to be arbitrarily extended, under any circumstances, and whether in a full or a "caretaker" capacity.

Nearly three weeks ago I read in the press that Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes "has had her term extended to the end of the year", and I emailed her assistant to ask who had authorised this and on what legal basis.

It wasn't a protracted exchange, as he broke it off when I asked:

"But on what legal basis could the Council of Ministers authorise the present Commissioners to remain in post beyond the end of their five year term, which expires on October 31st?"

The reason being that there is no specific legal basis in the treaties for them to do that, and so they could only provide themselves with a legal basis through the use (or rather misuse) of the so-called "flexibility clause", Article 308 TEC - and I now know for sure that has never been done.

So from midnight tomorrow if anyone other than Barroso claims to be a European Commissioner they will in fact only be impersonating a European Commissioner, they will be at risk of both criminal and civil prosecution, and their actions and decisions will be null and void.

The shade of dr kelly

Like most journalists you are missing a fundamental point. If you are cameron leading an incing adminitration and Blair is meeting world leaders as potentially the most high profile Brit - although ostensibly representing the eu - then it is highly likely that Obama etc will think that Blair is the most high representative of the british people.

He will have his own agenda often conflicting with that of a new I'm govt and it will male it very difficult for the I'm govt to make it's (rather than the eu's) policies count.

Obama etc will not see the democratic deficit in Blair's appointment as they have attained power and a platform thanks to a fully democratic process rather than a shoe in and it will massively distort the weight of his views compared to the legitimate elected spokesperson of the ukzl.

Andy Leeds

Blair can have the presidency only if we can have the referendum HE promised.

mac

I don't think you're particularly attuned to your readership's opinion of Blair in these parts, Mr Korski. Or, in the vernacular, FFS!

Blair's no one's man, anywhere; the avaricious ALB is entirely his own man for whatever money's on offer (c/f that other stellar long-time EU gravy trainer, "aaal right" Kinnock).

Andrew InFrance

Bliar will never our man anywhere. He's never done anything for anyone but himself, he believes in nothing but increasing his own wealth and influence.

Tiberius

Who's afraid?

It's simply a matter of good taste.

David Ossitt

“The Shadow Foreign Secretary is letting his anti-EU, anti-Labour views cloud his judgement. Let me explain.”

You really do not get it; you and the rest of the greater metropolitan elite, you still think that we Euro-sceptics (by far the majority) will continue to roll over and accept that which we have not been allowed a vote on, this sick vile form of words that is about to foist a European Constitution on all of us by the back door.

We hear every day of our men being killed; whilst they try to bring democracy to a cesspit of a country, whilst our own democracy is being destroyed bit by bit, by the evil malicious menace that is New Labour.

Far from being elevated to a presidency; Tony Blair should be on trial for high treason in that he involved our country in an illegal war.

After which he should be sent to the Hague; to be tried for crimes against humanity.

Michael Booth

The man is universally loathed - he is out for himself, a war criminal, a liar, a champagne socialist who has colluded with the infiltration and undermining of his own country by marxist fellow-travellers, a man with blood on his hands. A man with a PhD in smoke and mirrors, a man who has nailed his principles to the gravy train. I'd rather have Ditmar van Nostrilburg from Lichtenburg as EU President... or perhaps Vanessa Feltz.

Moraymint

Mr Korski, I judge a man by the friends he keeps.

Blair is a pointless, self-serving confidence-trickster who had nothing to offer this nation as Prime Minister (quite the reverse, in facy) and should have no subsequent influence whatsoever over the way I live my life in the UK (which, incidentally, has been damned-near ruined after 12 years of Marxist nutterism under the Labour Party generally and Gordon Brown in particular).

Your support for Blair is an affront to the good people of this nation. I've no idea who you are, but you're not welcome in my house, that's for sure.

Be off with you man.

2trueblue

Bliar is not our man, never was, never will be.
This man only understands how to look after himself so I fail to see how he can further our cause in any way.
He failed to give us our referendum on the constitution/treaty. He wrecked our country with Brown, Balls, and Mandleson. Why on earth would anyone think that he is our man. The man has no loyalty to anything.

Simon Levack

Mr Korski, get a grip. "Blair could side with Britain; side with France and Germany; or triangulate between the three major powers" - rubbish. Blair will side with Blair, as he always has. He spent 10 years as Prime Minister working to ensure that the Americans would give him a comfortable retirement, regardless of what he did his country or its reputation. The man has no principles and no loyalty to anybody or anything, save his own vanity and greed. He is not fit to collect garbage, let alone be "our man in Brussels".

John Richardson

Well said 'Strapworld'.

Again, this article demonstrates the gulf between 'real people' (all be it with weird names) and those who make a living out of politics.
Things are getting worse.
This Korski fellow probably regards his views as honest, even intelligent.
How 'they' can write in detail regarding Blair/the EU without using the words 'National' and 'Treachery' is a marvel to behold.
I suppose 'they' have all 'moved on'.
Not me.
I see the death of honesty in politics leading to poverty,disorder and violence. Worse still, I fear some will still earn a living out of that.

"Now it's over to Brussels for verification of this week's powercuts....."

Perhaps someone could initiate an internet pettition against Blair's appointment in ANY capacity representing these islands.
Ten million signatures might even make a difference.
Then again.......

mitch

No No No!!! Blair is a liar and a war criminal making him the Head of state over 600,000,000 people without a single one voting for him is a crime against humanity.

Jeny Jennings

Not only the Tories, but the majority of the British people have ample evidence that Tony Blair cannot be trusted.
The best thing for Britain - and the Tories understand this very well - is to have somebody other than Mr Blair as President of the European Council.
All those who are pushing for Blair must have some personal interest in Blair's continued access to power.

old fogey

For heavens sake; I am tired of these clever "let me explain" ( to us poor ignorant unsophisticated underlings) articles and blogs;usually by teenage scriblers desperate to appear revisionist. We do not want the lying, deceitful, rapaciously corrupt,immature poseur in any responsible,extravagantly remunerated position in politics, domestic or international, again. Yes the EU political personnel v domestically elected politicians permutationa are a cause of endless possibilities ,and speculations, but to indulge in some such theorising re. the possibility of Blair being constrained by national aims is to set out to frustrate our
deepest desire to have nothing more to do with this specimen.

Charles

Daniel:

Put an effective politican in the role and you get a big role. Put a grey-faced bureaucrat and you end up with a minor coordination role.

If you don't believe that the EU should continue to eclipse the nation state (and there is a risk that Blair would be the natural first call to a US President vs Hague, while Hague would probably be prefered to some unknown player from a minor nation) then there is a very good reason to argue against him regardless of whether he is British or not.

SallyC

Huge non sequitur in this article.

Just what is it about Blair that suggests he will act in Britain's interests? 'Everything'? Doh!?!

He has steadiy increased his own influence position and wealth whilst he has presided over the decline of ours.

If past history is anything to go by, he would be the Eurosceptics ideal choice. The EU will be embroiled in ill considered conflicts, discredited and bankrupt in about...oh...12 years.

Put Gordon in charge of the IMF and we can finish off the world too.

The New Labour virus. We have enjoyed it so much lets give it to the world.

Percy

This article is pure crap.

Neil McEvoy

Having Blair in a prominent role, within an unpopular institution, will remind people of why they kicked out Labour, thus ensuring a second Tory term.

Beer Moth

"If the Tories win, Labour will be in the doldrums"

Understatement with its arse kicked out.

Chuck Unsworth

Well your whole theory is predicated on the notion that Blair has anything to offer Britain.

The fact is that his integrity, loyalty, honesty and competence are entirely debatable.

Who would trust Blair?

logdon

Dennis Churchill
October 30th, 2009 6:37pm Report this comment

There seems to be no understanding among the political class just how much Blair is loathed by people right across the political spectrum in the UK."

There seems to be no understanding amongst the political class of anything which is driving the electorate crazy with impotent rage these days.

The gap of perception yawns. Meanwhile anything we say seems to have the same effect on these cosseted creatures.

logdon

I mean, is this telling us something?

* Most read
* Most commented on
*

1 The Neatherworld of Britain's busted political class - Melanie Phillips

2 Trying to stuff the cat back into the bag - Melanie Phillips

3 Let's start a mass campaign of disobedience

4 Yes, Let's Talk About Immigration - Alex Massie

5 The roots of the EDL - Rod Liddle

JohnAnt

"Blair could side with Britain."
That'd be a first! Blair, the man who gave away the toughly negotiated rebate Mrs Thatcher had so fairly demanded, in return for a paltry promise to reform the CAP, a promise that was and is worth virtually zero.
Paddy Ashdown is a decent and competent negotiator of integrity and clarity. Mentioning him in the same breath as the devious Blair is an insult to Ashdown.

Philip Walker

Getting Blair in is not in the UK's long term interest (and I can't see why so few people see this). Sure, we get a short-term boost from a British voice at the heart of Europe, but what happens when Blair goes and a washed-up French or German federaliser gets the post? It is imperative that the President of the Council be as greyly technocratic a post as possible: it's the only way of stopping any hope of federalism in its tracks.

Noa Zrk

The role of Il Presidente is not yet defined yet already Blair is negotiating for a '..big role..' in a way he never did as PM, when he consistently pursued his policy of pusillanimous appeasement with the UK's enemies, such as the IRA, and against its best interests, witness the EU rebate giveaway. Dissembling, criminally bloody handed in Iraq and politically septic, his appointment would secure new depths of contempt for Britain on the world stage opponents, as the arch personification of a morally and intellectually bankrupt Europe.

Augustus

It probably won't be Blair anyway. Much more likely to be either the Prime Minister of The Netherlands or Luxembourg. Merkel and Sarkozy won't want Blair. The really sad thing is the enormous increase of the British contribution in 2010. Up from £4.1 bn this year to £6.4bn next. A 60% increase.
Labour thinks this perfectly OK, and only reflects a justified contibution to cover new EU members. A kind of new-fangled foreign aid policy via Brussels. What's the increase going to be when another 70 million Turks join the club? Next year the EU will cost every British household £260.
In 2004 it was £53 per household.

MaxSceptic

Ideally, Blair should be 'our man in Somalia'.

Victor Southern

As you will have observed Mr Korski your opinion was not met with apathy but with scorn and an outburst of hatred for this man.

He is so British that his children all have Irish passports. He, born and educated in Scotland described himself as Anglo-Irish. Nothing that he ever did showed any patriotism or fondness for the United Kingdom, mostly the opposite.

Our loathing for Blair does not follow the disquiet that the poet felt about Dr. Fell "The reason why I cannot tell but I do not like you Dr. Fell". We have a vast number of valid reasons to dislike Mr Blair.

The mere fact that he was a better PM than Gordon Brown is no mitigation.

In2minds

I've got a cat with more brains.

Roderick Simpson

Blair should be "our" man in Belmarsh prison, high securiity wing.

kein

i would rather the camp commandant of my gulag was cleaning my teeth with a bedford tooth brush than that snake oil salesman became POTEU.
sorry i meant to say I worship his shadow

Boudicca

Absolute cr.p. Blair should be kept completely away from anything to do with the EU or politics entirely. He is a poisoned chalice. He is a liar; a hypocritical,egotistical warmonger. His only true aim is self-aggrandisement.... the last thing either the UK or the EU needs is Blair The LIAR in any position of power or authority.

Verity

What Max Sceptic said. If nothing else, that insane, greedy self-regarding grin would put Somali "asylum seekers" off coming to Britain.

Frank P

Who hired you to write for this Magazine, Korski? I think we should be told. It might explain the bizarre editorial policy that prevails here. Someone is obviously pleased that it is no longer a a conservative magazine and if articles like this one can get past the editor, it speaks volumes. I have no idea WTF it is that you are attempting to convey.

EC

A few thoughts on the upcoming annointment of the POTEU.

How would Blair the Brit(sic) distort Dave's foreign policy when Dave hasn't got one?

Boudicca lists all the essential characteristics require for a top EU position and Blair tick all the boxes.

If Balkenende (literally: Beam end) gets the job then Merkel will be POTEU by proxy. Seventy years on Game, Set and Match to the Jerries.

What about Dr. David Kelly? There's more lies and the nasty whiff of buried and tampered evidence to justify a proper enquiry.

Peter

This is sloppy journalism and overlooks a key point. Notwithstanding the fact that most EU leaders are cooling towards him, Blair has been ineffective in a constructive way. He is far too interested in his place in the scheme of things and in his public persona. He is a man with no depth, little intellect and no statesmanship.If we are to be lumbered with this post as a result of the imposition of this Constitution, sorry, treaty, then we should at least have a president of character, gravitas and statemanship.

Cardinal Richelieu's mole

This European President job is about extending the EU's influence worldwide. Blair has shown an extremely poor, naive and dangerous world view. His desire for entering wars being a case in point. Just before leaving office he said if up to him we would be intervening (with troops) in Somalia. The self-righteous prig may have pure motives, but he is a hazard to our well-being - as surely we know from experience. This is why he is more than unsuitable for a job in Europe.

Summer

Looks to me like Mr Korski, has an European mindset; we will overlook ciminal backgrounds in the interests of blatent nationalism. Well Mr Korski, your arguement falls down on two points. As others has said, Blair is an enemy of the British people and has demonstrated this time and again - so we get nothing backing him. Secondly, the British (I mean the real people, not the 5th column sitting in the Houses of Parliament and various Quangos) have values. We will not stand to see moral degenerates such as Blair in public office - and we already have a whole bunch of them to get rid of.

The only two things going for Blair's attempt to be EU President is 1)that he unites people in hatred. The left hate him for being a war criminal, the right hate for being a traitor and a war criminal. And 2)that he might do the same for the EU that he did for Britain - even better if the sensible Mr Hague has given us the power to take ouselves out of the EUSSR.

I'd rather be poor and free to rebuild our country and our 'Neanderthal' values, than be a slave to the degenerate EU and their criminal President !!!

Oh, and yes Mr Nelson, where is the discussion on Neather? Or does it come too close to showing the BNP may be right on immigration at least!!

EC

Frank P: "Who hired you to write for this Magazine, Korski? I think we should be told. It might explain the bizarre editorial policy that prevails here."

I think that the proprietors missed a trick when they didn't appoint Kelvin MacKenzie as editor. His culture of delivering fearsome, vehement and extremely personal bollockings of the his journos on a daily basis certainly kept them all on their toes.

... also we could have been treated to SPECCIE BINGO and maybe even Blogging Babes on Page 3 - in their regular briefs on current affairs, latest tattoos, HGV & Forklift truck qualifications etc.

Moraymint

... I guess the other point I wanted to make on this subject relates to the undemocratic nature of all this.

How is that politicians can be manoeuvring frantically for positions of great power and all the associated trappings and costs (to me), and I get no say in the matter ... other than shouting on a blog?

God, it's all so fu****g depressing.

Rod Liddle's call for a mass campaign of disobedience really needs to be moved from being a tongue-in-cheek article to deadly serious planning for citizen unrest.

How else are we supposed to get a say in how we are to be ruled? Democracy in the UK is now all but dead in the water.

Zack

Can we get some euro-sceptic writers on this blog pelase?

Roy Smith

As much as Blair is responsible for wielding the big stick with reckless abandon having his huge majority, is it over doing it to say he misled or lied over Iraq? Since how or when has a war been illegal? On what premise or on whose jurisdiction is a war illegal? Also, how is it known that Bush and Blair knew there was no arms of mass destruction in Iraq? Their statements don’t make a lie if they understood their information to be correct.

Watt Tyler

We don't want a President of the EUSSR, Numbnuts!

Watt Tyler

This is typical of the EU and its supporters. They get everyone arguing about the wrong thing. The question is not whether or not Blair. It is whether or not the EU.

echo34

what a load of patronising rubbish.

Until you hacks start stepping back and having a good look around you, you're part of the problem.

Korski just writes himself up as a complete cock yet again.

Watt Tyler

@Charles - the EU already eclipses the nation state. YOu just haven't noticed yet - like a lot of people in this country.

Moraymint

Roy Smith

I think you may not be taking into account the unfinished business of Bush Snr (in Iraq in 1991 - I fought in that one), the issue of Peak Oil and the Americans' relentless demand for cheap energy (along with many other western, developed nations) and the monumental egos of Bush Jr and Poodle Blair.

There is no way that we invaded Iraq in the certain knowledge that we were preventing a WMD holocaust. The whole thing was manufactured, and Blair loved it all at the time. Remember, Blair considers himself to be the political equivalent of a rock star.

In fact, the man deserves only to be despised.

Fragmeister

Let's see, hmm. Here is a man who will have an unelected position, who chose to renege on a promise to give a democratic choice to his electorate. In what way will he be able to talk to Mugabe, Putin or Ahmedinajad. They'll all laugh in his face and say that they had elections. Obama might not see the deficit, but the rest of the world will.

Frank P

Now, now, EC! (8.59am) The tongue in your cheek in that little reprimand looks like, from this viewpoint, a double headed carbuncle on your face. :-)

You know full well that my plaintive cry is not to have the magazine's ethos dragged down-market as you suggest, but to restore it to its once up market excellence. You and I can provide, via these blogs, all the gutter copy necessary to keep its feet on the ground; along with a few others of the 'usual suspects', as V designates us - and of course Rod Liddle, whose incorrigible impishness provides more than enough shitty-gritty to give its wheels traction (God bless 'im; even though his satirical/sarcasm cup runneth over at times).

Incidentally, I wish to disassociate myself from the Blair 'war criminal' crap that pervades this thread. Whacking Saddam was an honourable objective - long overdue. Blair merely hung on to George Bush's coat-tails for personal glory that he imagined would ensue. The fact that GWB's strategists fucked up the post-liberation tactics doesn't make Blair a war criminal; there is no such thing in my book, anyway. In war the niceties of law are inevitably suspended as tooth and claw (not to mention shock and awe) take over. Wars are won by crushing the enemy, no holds barred, until they sue for peace (we can be magnanimous in victory of course – within limitations). This was not done in Iraq, either in the Gulf War or in Bush II's effort to upstage Dad. Pacifist liberal squeamishness prevailed on each occasion as it persistently kicked the allied forces in the shins throughout both shows: thus the mess we are in now. Don't blame bloody Blair for that. It's his sell- out of Britain on the domestic and European fronts for which he should dangle from the scaffold - preferably beside his petty adversary Gordon Brown who, in light of Exchequer crimes, should be disemboweled after the drop and his guts fed to the pigs.

Over the years I have always proselytized against capital punishment. I was wrong! It should be restored pro-tem to punish the heinous crimes of this administration.

Edward Sutherland

It seems to me that there's quite a serious, and growing, disconnect between the vast majority of posters on the Coffee House website and a number of its columnists, Messrs Massie and Korski to name but two. If I want to read the Guardian or New Statesman's view on the world I'm perfectly capable of finding those sites myself.

Rhoda Klapp

This oath say he can't favour the UK (as if!)

Having been appointed as a member of the Commission of the European Communities by the Council of the European Union, after the vote of approval by the European Parliament, I do solemnly undertake: to be completely independent in the performance of my duties, in the general interest of the Communities; in the performance of these duties, neither to seek nor to take instructions from any government or from any other body; to refrain from any action incompatible with my duties.

I formally note the undertaking of each Member State to respect this principle and not to seek to influence members of the Commission in the performance of their tasks.

I further undertake to respect, both during and after my term of office, the obligations arising therefrom and in particular, the duty to behave with integrity and discretion as regards the acceptance after I have ceased to hold office of certain appointments or benefits.

teledu

Let Daniel Korski continue to write such pieces; we surely don't want EVERY topic on here to be full of things we all totally agree on do we?
Let's hear some of the points that others think can be made for the EUssr /Blair / Brown /nu-Labour etc.. After all, we'd all be saying "hallelujah" if Melanie Phillips or Simon Heffer were allowed a weekly column in the Guardian and slagging off those who demanded they were removed.
This is a medium for argument and debate and for that we need to hear opposing points of view. So please, no more bilious attacks on the author for daring to have an unpopular view. Demolish his arguments not his right to air them.

Any Colour but Brown

Reading you article was nothing short of a waste of my time. If you think that Phony Bliar would be "our man" in Brussels, you can only have, recently, arrived from a life in the deepest Amazonian jungles.
He is a political whore, who will do anything to put more money into his bank account. He has no scruples and no morals. He bears no allegiance to anyone but himself and, especially, not to the UK.

Britain is a big enough joke, as it is, without putting that clown in the position of EU president.

denis cooper

Off-topic but topical, we are now just hours away from the European Commission being legally reduced to a one man band.

All the present Commissioners other than the recently re-appointed President Barroso will become ex-Commissioners at midnight CET, when their five year terms expire.

There's a pretence that their terms have been extended until after the Lisbon Treaty has come into force, but that is simply not permitted under the relevant provisions in the treaties.

If anyone doubts that, they could try asking:

"Precisely which treaty articles have been used to allow the Commissioners to remain in post beyond the end of their five year terms?"

There'll be no answer, because there are no such treaty articles.

So much for the rule of law within the EU.

Bear in mind that Parliament has incorporated these treaties into our national law, and therefore ministers and officials are breaking our law if they turn a blind eye to any breach of the treaties.

Will the Conservatives be chasing this up, and publicly insisting that the law must be obeyed?

If not, why not?

Ken

According to the Mail (http://tinyurl.com/y87t3kx) Brand Blair advises on 'good governance' for a bagatelle seven-figure sum.

Isn’t it time for a little Brand contamination?

The market might note Brand Blair's good governance creed offers stunning advice on criminal war-waging and mindless killing, viz: Kosovo/Iraq/Afghanistan; and a textbook demonstration on how to initiate and execute total in-country economic and social devastation for partisan purpose, viz: the UK.

Others will surely offer plenty more for Operation Contamination.

But is it really BrandB we should be that concerned about in the EU presidential context?

It would now seem it’s more short-trousers Miliboy they are lining up behind, for an even more powerful role than the presidency. Do we really want a continuation of his peculiar-shaped banana “diplomacy”?

Hopefully a certain Polish Chief Rabbi has done for him.

Minnie Ovens

Is Mr Korski regarded as the runt of the litter by the other columnists?
He reminds me of Mary Riddell without the intellect.
I don't care if the Labour party does or does not putrify around Blair as President.
I just have a very deep revulsion for an opportunist who has put himself before any principles or morality.
He reminds me of Lord Haw Haw except thet Joyce was, at least, Irish!

Verity

Excellent post, Summer. I have long said that for the first time in human history, the Fifth Column is the actual government of the country. I view them all with great loathing..

As much as repellent as I find the snail slime known as Blair, and as much as I pray that he will come to harm, as Roy Smith says, he didn’t enter an “illegal war”. I, too, have enquired as to the jurisdiction under which the war was illegal. Where does it appear on the books of the laws of our country? (Although it is mildly entertaining to see him hoist with his own One Worlder petard.) Blair entered the war to elevate himself to a player on the world stage, and to be associated with the White House.

Moraymint, I don’t often disagree with you, but George W Bush does not have a monumental ego. His family, as you may not know, has a long history, three or four generations, of public service. Power was hardly something new to him that he sought. He grew up around power.

Watt Taylor, seconded.

Barbara

'Blair will be our man in Brussels'

Who is 'us'?

EC

Frank P,

It would appear, to me, that the editorial policy is to support Dave's campaign at all costs. If Mark Steyn were to be rehired then it would provide an absorbing perspective on the British political landscape but, as with NuLab, anything "off message" in the run up to the election will not be tolerated.

TrevorsDen

The number of comments indicated to me the strength of feeling both against Blair and against the position of president.

I would rather see my own intestines drawn out with a red hot poker than see Blair President

Moraymint

Verity said, "Moraymint, I don’t often disagree with you, but George W Bush does not have a monumental ego".

Fair comment. I was typing away too quickly. I should have referred to Bush's cowboy-cum-commander-in-chief tendencies, and I am indeed aware of the Bush dynasty and its public service pedigree (not to mention its huge wealth, of course).

Blair remains an egotistical prat though; he makes Mrs Moraymint and me cringe.

Verity

EC - Will all you people who keep referring to the return of the sainted Mark Steyn as an actual possibility, please face reality. Mr Steyn is a loyal and close friend of the Telegraph's former proprietor, Conrad Black.

The new owners of The Speccie and The Telegraph do not like Lord Black, or Mr Steyn, no matter how much his presence would pump up their circulation.

Steyn is still writing around the world, and you can see his pieces on www.steynonline.com

Edward Sutherland

Teledu:
Regrettably,we're not engaged in a philosophical debate with reasonable opponents.We're having to fight those who will use every trick in the book, and more, to smear the Conservatives in order to cling to power: McBride, Draper and Miliband (D) have shown us that. To win the battle is going to require whole hearted commitment. So if you and some Coffee House columnists haven't got the stomach for the hard fight we're engaged in, please depart the field.

Alexandrovich

EC. I feel so ashamed now and really don't feel I should be on this site. You see, I have an HGV C+E or, as it should now be correctly called, LGV. Also the odd tattoo.
Where would you prefer me to go?

Verity

Moraymint – sorry, but I’m sick of these references to Texas and cowboys. Two of the most sophisticated, glamourous cities in the world, both with excellent law enforcement, are Houston and Dallas. You’re aware of the pedigree of President Bush’s family, you’re aware that he grew up more in the drawing rooms of DC than in Texas (so yes, in that sense, he’s provincial as there is nowhere more provincial than DC – except Westminster Village) than in his native Texas. He is the first Texas governor in history to have been elected to two consecutive terms. In other words, the voters, most of whom live in big sophisticated cities, felt that he had performed well for them. He has a ranch outside Amarillo – where he goes to get away and relax. The ranch is managed by other people. He has a Bachelor’s from Yale and an MBA from Harvard. Trust me, Moraymint, rich frat boys at the Ivy Leagues are not "cowboys". He is also known as an astute poker player. Knows when to hold ‘em and knows when to fold ‘em.

This sneering at George Bush for something he is not infuriates me.

teledu

Edward Sutherland "...To win the battle is going to require whole hearted commitment. So if you and some Coffee House columnists haven't got the stomach for the hard fight we're engaged in, please depart the field"

I didn't say I agreed with Korski, but it does no harm to hear other peoples' perspective on things. In doing so, if your opinion hasn't been changed, your better placed to counter the arguments when faced with them again. Or would you rather be ignorant of the arguments of the enemy?
Know your enemy. I'm not your enemy - I'd guess my hatred of the EUssr and New Labour is every bit as strong as yours. By reading articles that don't agree with my viewpoint, and then the comments of posters for and against, we're all better informed.
Read my initial post again and cool down.

Fearless Frank

Mr Korski - The responses you're getting are completely inappropriate - probably even unaccepatable.
Can I suggest you post this piece again in a couple of days, when you might get the sort of response you require.
If that doesn't work, just keep reposting until they come up with the right responses. Worked with the Irish...

Dennis Churchill

What is now needed, more than ever after the Blair years, is a Cost Benefit analysis of our EU membership. After the election, of course, as we don’t want millions of Euros slipped through UK based donations to Labour.
For too long our Foreign Policy seems to be dictated by what suits US policy (our EU membership) or Israeli interests but little or no consideration as to the interests of the British people.
Blair gave away so much we need to reassess whether membership is simply not in our interests and this is best done by an official Cost Benefit analyses.

Patricia

Verity - thanks for that nugget of information about Mark Steyn. While I regularly read SteynOnline, I'd long wondered why he'd so comprehensively disappeared from the pages of The Telegraph & The Spectator. I'm not sure where you get your information, but it makes sense. Conrad Black may have been a very naughty chap, but he had more élan in his little finger than the combined bulk of the Barclay brothers.

EC

Alexandrovich,

If you really have an odd tattoo then why not photograph it and put it up on the coffeehouse wall.

Verity

Patricia, I got my information from the ongoing saga at the time. I believe that what happened to Lord Black was absolutely unforgivable. Other than his wife, Conrad Black's steadiest ally, although it put what I imagine was a large chunk of his own income in jeopardy, was Mark Steyn, who never wavered.

Dorothy Wilson

"....given that the Lisbon Treaty provides the EU foreign minister, not the Council President, with the lion's share of staff and money."

Whilst I agree with the majority of the posts here that we need Blair in any position of authority like we need a hole in the head, this point about the "High Representative" is also very important.

According to the latest newsletter from Open Europe the investment required will be up to 50 billion euros before 2013 and the plans, recently apparently approved by the Foreign Ministers, allow for staffing levels of 7000.

Do we really need the little Milipede to have this amount of power and prestige? Do we really need a "High Representative" at all?

I am pretty sure the majority of the voters in the UK could think of better ways to spend our share of the funding required for those grandiose and hubristic schemes than boosting the little Milipede's ego.

BOO

Fearless Frank: "Can I suggest you post this piece again in a couple of days, when you might get the sort of response you require."

I think they've taken a good bit of your advice!! He's right up there, pontificating in our faces again...

Alexandrovich

Because, EC, there would have to be two photo's, one of which would not get posted.
The one with 'Ludo' would be accepted but not the one with 'Llandudno'.

Any Colour but Brown

"Minnie Ovens
Is Mr Korski regarded as the runt of the litter by the other columnists?
He reminds me of Mary Riddell without the intellect."

More like Jimmy Riddle.

Graham Evans

I writ the above a lil better in another post, so i'll cut and paste:
Slightly off-topic, but relevant to the Beeb, last week I watched the one show. Geoffrey Palmer was the guest and they featured a piece (supposedly balanced) by some hackette from the up-north east about Bliar’s prospects for the EU Prez. Balanced, yeah right, she was wettting herself on the sofa in post report discussion every time Bliar’s name crossed her lips. Adrian Chiles made the mistake of asking Palmer his opinion, to which he replied that the tosser shouldnt get any job post the Iraq con. The programme then went bonkers with Chiles claiming to speak for Bliar and to say what he thought Bliar would say in reply, shite about uniting faiths etc etc. Utter bollocks. Who the fuck appointed him as spokesman for Bliar ?. Then it got worse, they showed some caricatures of his opponents for the job, but the hackette came over all orgasmic and said that of the bunch only Bliar had the quality that stops traffic as he sweeps into a City. Nothing to do with the police then. I’d write and complain but the beeb will tell me i’m a chump.
I utterly despair that millions of peoplle watched that but the bullshit went straight over their heads! you certainly can fool enough of the people enough of the time. Bring on the revolution.

AliC

If I recall, Mr. Bliar said he'd rather nail his private parts to a speeding train than go to Europe. I'm sure there are a number of volunteers available with tin tacks and a claw hammer.

Tim Carpenter LPUK

IF having a Brit appointed to this role would be good for us, as some assert, then whomsoever replaces him is unlikely to be British (and for many subsequent Presidents thereafter) and presumsbly to be the opposite.

2.5 years of advantage and 65 years of disadvantage. "Nice".

Verity

Stupid headline, Blair wouldn't be "our man in Brussels". He'd be the EU's man in Brussels. Jeeez.