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
Take the following as an example. At the very time that the Blair government was attempting, through chicanery and doctored security service dossiers, to take Britain into an illegal war which it did not want, government ministers were talking precisely the same sort of disingenuous and dishonest claptrap about the proposed EU constitution. In the spring and early summer of 2003, as those tanks rolled into Baghdad, Peter Hain, then the Europe minister, made the following three statements about the ‘constitution’ to three different audiences. This is what he said:
‘This is not a major change. There is no need for a referendum.’ (To the BBC Radio 4 PM programme.)
‘I am not saying it [the constitution] has got no substantial constitutional significance, of course it will have....’ (To the House of Commons.)
‘Our task is nothing less than the creation of a new constitutional order for Europe.’ (To the Financial Times.)
The rest of the time, Pete and other government ministers reverted to the approved government phrase ‘tidying-up exercise’ when quizzed about the parameters of the constitution in public. But we are aware now, had we ever been in any doubt, that the Lisbon Treaty was precisely a constitution in everything except name; we know this not least because the House of Commons European scrutiny committee has described it precisely thus — as being ‘substantially equivalent’ to a constitution for Europe. Furthermore, it is unlikely that those opt-outs which Tony Blair fought for — undoubtedly against his better private judgment — on tax, benefits, fundamental rights and, crucially, foreign policy, will have little legal status. They will amount, in effect, to hot air. But then I don’t suppose that Mr Blair will worry too much about that — indeed, quite the reverse.
Because here’s the supreme irony of it. If the post of President of Europe (or whatever ‘substantially equivalent’ phrase eventually comes to be used) does not have serious diplomatic clout and thus real power, then Tony Blair would not want it. In other words, he would only want the job if it is everything that New Labour has been telling us it won’t be over the course of the last half-dozen or so years.
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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