The biggest tent of the lot: to stop Blair becoming EU President
Rod Liddle says that the former Prime Minister has pulled off an astonishing feat: uniting Left and Right, Europhiles and Eurosceptics, people of all nations and creeds, online and
in print, in their glorious campaign to prevent him becoming President of Europe
His political failure over Europe has been perhaps the most striking of any politician in recent years. He wished for Britain to be a part of a single European currency and for a succession of powers to be devolved to Brussels. He has been absolutely clear that the nation state would inevitably — and mercifully — dissolve, that its time had gone. He described those who committed themselves to the notion of a strong nation state with an integral identity as being ‘practically outdated.’ He despaired of Britain’s apparent Euroscepticism among the great unwashed, but assumed that this opposition to the EU — which he blamed upon rank xenophobia, a regrettable island mentality — would in time winnow away. Much as he assumed that the economic benefits of a single European currency would soon enough make it impossible for Britain to resist joining in with the rest.
These two assumptions were quite magnificently mistaken; instead, British disaffection with the autocratic and bureaucratic institutions of Brussels spread like a virus among other member states, first to Denmark and then pretty much everywhere else. By the time Blair had been elected for a second time in Britain, Eurosceptism had become the default position of the populace of pretty much every member state, with the possible exception of Italy. At the same time, the idea of Britain joining the euro zone slipped further and further down the agenda. You will remember Gordon Brown’s hilarious five ‘convergence criteria’, economic conditions which had to be met in order for Britain to sign up to the euro. Britons travelling to continental Europe are these days welcomed by the locals, because we have more money to spend, more bang for our buck.
Now, given this defeat of all the PM held dear, you might have expected — from a principled politician — one of two reactions. Either he admits he got it wrong, cedes to the will of the people and shelves all attempts to divest Britain of more sovereign powers, or he argues that the British people were wrong, insists that Britain should become part of a European super-state and takes the electoral consequences. Blair, of course, did neither; he instead continued to pursue his own agenda by means of subterfuge, obfuscation and downright lying. And never more so than in his attempts to ram a European constitution down the throats of the British people, against their clear wishes.
More articles from: Rod Liddle | this section
Post this entry to: del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit
Advertisement
A portrait of the artist as a tennis champion
Melissa KiteMelissa Kite meets Martina Navratilova, nine times Wimbledon singles champion and now pioneer of ‘tennising’ — an artistic technique that creates Jackson Pollock-style patterns
Et tu, Scott? Bush’s press aide turns on his boss
James ForsythJames Forsyth talks to Scott McClellan, former press secretary to the President, about his new book attacking the Bush administration, its methods and its deceits
The Law Lords are right to resist the government
Lord Lloyd of BerwickLord Lloyd of Berwick says that the government’s emergency legislation to overturn their lordships’ ruling on witness anonymity is part of a ‘gradual usurpation’ of our liberties
I was starstuck by David Cameron
Steven BerkoffIn the week of the Spectator Summer Party, Steven Berkoff recalls another of our celebrations at which he sought out the Tory leader and forgave his confusion of Brando and Dean
How to get stabbed: you, too, can be knifed in a public place
Rod LiddleRod Liddle says that it helps to be aged between 14 and 30, white and male. Being drunk and argumentative speeds things along. And no public policy seems to dissuade those who do the stabbing
Very discreetly, Cameron is writing his first Queen’s Speech
Fraser NelsonIn spite of their commanding poll lead, the Tories are terrified of seeming complacent. But, as Fraser Nelson discloses, work is well advanced on a first-term plan for government in which education reform and a welfare revolution will be the centrepieces
EU leaders will never consult us again
Daniel HannanDaniel Hannan, who predicted the Irish ‘No’ vote in this magazine, now says that the EU will simply implement the Lisbon Treaty and never risk a referendum again
‘If there’s a vote of no confidence on 42 days, we’ll win’
Matthew d'AnconaIn her only print interview, Jacqui Smith tells Matthew d’Ancona that her proposal for the detention of terror suspects does not undermine Magna Carta, that she is ‘frustrated’ by Lord Goldsmith, and that the ‘West Midlands housewife’ is a better judge of the threat than MPs
‘Touch wood,’ Karzai said to me. You hear it all the time
Fraser NelsonFrom the President downwards, all Afghans know that the peace in Helmand is precarious.Fraser Nelson reports from a shattered land of corruption and murky power where warlords wait to see if the West has what it takes to stay the course and thwart a horrific new conflict
A century from now, we will be appalled that we allowed abortions at all
Rod LiddleRod Liddle says the Commons vote securing the 24-week limit is no more than a craven politician’s fudge, designed to postpone the day when the law of the land finally catches up with the indisputable findings of science
Latest blog posts
sponsored links
Book Accommodation at Sheraton Hotel Pulitzer
Superb photos, independent review, and exclusive online specials.
Book Accommodation at Sheraton Hotel Pulitzer
Superb photos, independent review, and exclusive online specials.
ROME CENTRE
PORTA METRONIA, ROME Standing high on the top of one of the seven hills of Rome- the Coelian- this unique
City Breaks. ROME and PARIS
ROME and PARIS: over 350 holiday rentals apartments listed: visit www.romanreference.com and www.parisreference.com or call +39 0648 903612.
Jewellery. RUFFS (Estd. 1904).
Goldsmiths by Design Welcome to Ruffs! You have found a company of Goldsmiths that specialises in the manufacture, amongst other
Spectator Business | Apollo Magazine
Corporate | Advertising | Privacy | Terms
Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London, SW1H 9HP
All Articles and Content Copyright ©2008 by The Spectator | All Rights Reserved
Once again
February 21st, 2008 9:46amJP Morgan and Zurich Financial Directors appear not to have done much investigation into their new share: Tony Blair. What does this say about all their other financial investigations?
peter monro
February 21st, 2008 1:32pmRod Liddle is quite the best thing about your magazine, reminds me of what it used to be like before senor Neill made it 'relevant'. Always good, occasionally he thunks it into the bullseye. This one is 25 carat gold.
Mac the Knife
February 21st, 2008 3:00pmAhhh, but share my vision. It is 2010, and Monsieur le President Anthony Blair and his beautiful wife take up residence in the lavish palace allocated them, surrounded by his presidential guard, he prepares to leave his indelible mark upon the superstate. At which point, in a flash of sanity, the UK secedes from le grand projet. Imagine the delicious spectacle of TB (what apt initials) desperately trying to retain the office, while ceasing to be a citizen of a member state. Imagine the glittering prize being torn from his greasy fingers. Oh, pleasure pleasure pleasure. I could die a happy man...
Kevin
February 21st, 2008 7:47pmI think you're missing the point. Blair won't get the presidency for one simple reason: he's British.
Liz Elliot-Pyle
February 21st, 2008 8:53pmOh I do so hope that TB gets the job! I think it would be the final nail in the coffin of the EU - every other country would want to leave!!!
BlairSupporter
February 22nd, 2008 9:24amLiddle's bitterness shines through like a beacon of ... er desperation. He quite simply hates Blair. Selective recall, slightly blurred by mingling with his interpretation of ensuing events and a lot of personal baggage doesn't fool all of us. Liddle is bitter about many things. It must be sickening to watch the rise and rise of the man who helped bring peace to Northern Ireland, is a hero in Sierra Leone and who pushed harder than the Americans to stop Muslims being ethnically cleansed in Kosovo. Put your personal animosity behind you, Mr Liddle. Yes I know you lost your earlier fights, and others seem to have survived theirs. Hard world, eh? Being all things to all people is not such a bad idea, I'd have thought. And uniting the EU against Blair? What's a couple of tens of thousands in the overall population of around 500 million?
Tim Howared
February 22nd, 2008 9:26amKevin is right. The arrogant and bigotted reporting of the British Press has seen to it that Europeans of whatever persuasion will not want any Briton as their President. That's the reason for the unity. Blair has little to do with it.
Paddy Briggs
February 22nd, 2008 2:42pmExcellent chance that, notwithstanding the undoubted respect in which Rod Liddle's views are held across the length and breadth of Europe, Britain might have a chance at having one of our own in the top job - first time since Uncle Woy, I think. Good luck to TP - and a plague on the miserable Liddle house.
Mark Solomon
February 22nd, 2008 4:18pmIt seems Rod is living in a parallel universe when he talks about Britons being wanted here in Europe as visitors because of 'more bangs for the buck' implying that sterling is a strong currency. That's lazy reporting - it might be worth nearly 2 dollars, but the Euro is at record highs against the USD as well! The pound/euro exchange rate has gone from 1.60 down to 1.33 now, showing up how the international money markets consider Euroland to be a safer economic bet than 'cool Britannia'. Many of the other 'facts' in this article bear the same passing acquaintance with the truth too. Dream on - it would be really great for Britain if one of us became President of Europe, whatever their political colours, but that is precisely why no Briton will win, because Britain is seen as a semi-detached uncommitted member, not because of any dislike for Tony Blair.
John J. King
February 22nd, 2008 5:18pmIf Tony has this many enemies, he must be on the right track. When everyone seems to agree on something they are usually wrong.
David Lindsay
February 22nd, 2008 5:49pmRod Liddle for EU President!
Alexander Stilwell
February 22nd, 2008 8:39pmSurely he should become President of Europe. His Government have just about destroyed Britain. Now let him destroy Europe.
Hugh Wain
February 22nd, 2008 11:10pmI always find Rod Liddle good value. Even if I don't agree with him - at least he shoots from the hip. There is far too much mealy-mouthed political reportage in this country: most of the political commentators are in bed with the politicians - in some cases, literally!
Tim Stewart
February 24th, 2008 4:15pmThe trouble is that because the whole of Europe does not want Blair as President, it's almost a given that he will get the job.
John Walter
February 25th, 2008 8:57amLiddle is a great writer and can be forgiven for some of his more exotic excursions and assumptions. They are in themselves such fun. So here we go, Rod. Blair is British, Britain is the whinger of Europe, outside the Euro and walled in from the continent. So Blair ain't got a hope. Europe is not broadly sceptic that is a Rodism. Merkel like her European colleagues plays the game of being nice to each other. When you have a currency at stake, what else can they do but stick together. I am against a President simply because he or she will be unelected. The whole notion smacks too much of Popery. With a President and all his trappings the EU will further resemble a medieval court of Princes presided over by a Pope - corrupt, bloated and passing edicts of total irrelevance to ordinary people in the name of the one Church and its creed - Brussels and the constitution. Come to think of it though, Blair as President would be a fitting tribute to the man. The best joke figure we could wish for. Blair and Cherie on tour through Europe, a pageant of excess and pointless pomp. Cherie having to grin and bear it in Riga or Blair pontificating about democracy in Kosovo. Perhaps I do want Blair as el Presidente, brighten up our lives no end.
Gibraltarape
February 25th, 2008 10:07amMention of the 'straits of Cadiz' in the 3rd line has one wondering about the rest of the article.
Karl Kraut
February 25th, 2008 11:34amOne wonders against who the EU is planning an illegal war, if it needs Blair as President.
Andrew
February 27th, 2008 9:18amSurely the one job crying out for Tony Blair is as replacement for Bruce Forsyth on Strictly Come Dancing