Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
The Conservatives will not hold a referendum on the EU treaty if they win a general election, shadow foreign secretary William Hague has announced.Mr Hague said ratification of the treaty by the Czechs - the last EU country to do so - meant the Tory campaign for a referendum "ends today". He said Tory leader David Cameron would set out details of a new policy on Europe on Wednesday.
The Conservatives will not hold a referendum on the EU treaty if they win a general election, shadow foreign secretary William Hague has announced.
Mr Hague said ratification of the treaty by the Czechs - the last EU country to do so - meant the Tory campaign for a referendum "ends today".
He said Tory leader David Cameron would set out details of a new policy on Europe on Wednesday.
Czech President Vaclav Klaus has signed the EU's Lisbon Treaty, the final step in the charter's ratification.The treaty was drawn up to streamline decision-making in the EU, and is a watered-down version of a draft EU constitution rejected four years ago. Among its measures, it creates a European Council president and alters the way member states vote. The treaty could now come into force as early as December.
Czech President Vaclav Klaus has signed the EU's Lisbon Treaty, the final step in the charter's ratification.
The treaty was drawn up to streamline decision-making in the EU, and is a watered-down version of a draft EU constitution rejected four years ago.
Among its measures, it creates a European Council president and alters the way member states vote.
The treaty could now come into force as early as December.
When David Cameron promised the British people a referendum on the Lisbon treaty, there were no caveats, no footnotes, no time limits. He offered a "cast-iron guarantee", and to the readers of the Sun, no less: there would be a vote on Lisbon.And now there won't, so what's changed?
When David Cameron promised the British people a referendum on the Lisbon treaty, there were no caveats, no footnotes, no time limits. He offered a "cast-iron guarantee", and to the readers of the Sun, no less: there would be a vote on Lisbon.
And now there won't, so what's changed?
David Cameron today faced a challenge to his authority when the former shadow home secretary David Davis urged him commit himself to holding a referendum on Britain's relationship with the EU within three months of taking office. Davis set out his proposals in an article in the Daily Mail ahead of a speech by Cameron this afternoon which the Tory leader will use to outline plans to repatriate some powers from Brussels as part of a toughening of Britain's relations with the EU. Amid anger on the right of the Conservative party at his decision to abandon a "cast-iron guarantee" to hold a referendum on the Lisbon treaty hours after the Czech Republic ratified it, Cameron will say he is prepared for a battle with the EU.
Davis set out his proposals in an article in the Daily Mail ahead of a speech by Cameron this afternoon which the Tory leader will use to outline plans to repatriate some powers from Brussels as part of a toughening of Britain's relations with the EU.
Amid anger on the right of the Conservative party at his decision to abandon a "cast-iron guarantee" to hold a referendum on the Lisbon treaty hours after the Czech Republic ratified it, Cameron will say he is prepared for a battle with the EU.
But if it ever came to the UK wanting to renegotiate? That might mean the end of the Kingdom and the birth of little England. We certainly have every interest to push in that direction if they ever go so far.
Breakup scenarios This United Kingdom by RogueTrooper on June 14th, 2006 The West Lothian Question. Breakup of UK ? by Helen on July 5th, 2006 How many nations in Europe? by ManfromMiddletown on November 30th, 2006 Three Hundred Years and Counting for Great Britain by Gary J on January 16th, 2007 Scottish Elections 2007: SNP makes large gains. by ManfromMiddletown on May 4th, 2007
The British people have been promised a referendum by all the major parties. The treaty itself is undoubtedly a massive constitutional transformation. It has been ratified by an unelected prime minister without a mandate. All these are arguments for a referendum, almost irrefutable ones. But on what? Any incoming government will be faced with the ultimate fait accompli, a binding treaty which it cannot revoke. [...] The sort of things we might include are: recovering control over our criminal justice, asylum and immigration policies; a robust opt-out of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights; serious exemptions to the seemingly endless flood of European regulations which cost the UK economy billions of pounds each year; a recovery of our rights to negotiate on trade; exemption from European interference into trade in services and foreign direct investment rules; and an exemption from any restrictions on our foreign policy. [...] Some fear this would become an 'in or out' referendum, a decision on whether to continue our membership of the European Union. It would be nothing of the sort. Killing this tired old canard is one of the reasons the referendum question has to be absolutely clear in language and intent. If our opponents keep trying to make this argument, it will give us an opportunity to highlight the fallacy that there are only two options in Europe: either capitulate to the Franco- German federalist model, or leave. It is clear that this notion of such a vote being an 'in or out' referendum is both craven and wrong.
All these are arguments for a referendum, almost irrefutable ones. But on what? Any incoming government will be faced with the ultimate fait accompli, a binding treaty which it cannot revoke.
[...]
The sort of things we might include are: recovering control over our criminal justice, asylum and immigration policies; a robust opt-out of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights; serious exemptions to the seemingly endless flood of European regulations which cost the UK economy billions of pounds each year; a recovery of our rights to negotiate on trade; exemption from European interference into trade in services and foreign direct investment rules; and an exemption from any restrictions on our foreign policy.
Some fear this would become an 'in or out' referendum, a decision on whether to continue our membership of the European Union. It would be nothing of the sort. Killing this tired old canard is one of the reasons the referendum question has to be absolutely clear in language and intent.
If our opponents keep trying to make this argument, it will give us an opportunity to highlight the fallacy that there are only two options in Europe: either capitulate to the Franco- German federalist model, or leave. It is clear that this notion of such a vote being an 'in or out' referendum is both craven and wrong.
One possible alley for getting more English opt-outs, though, is for the Tories to veto accession of new EU states (this would become a topic in 2014), or to veto parts of ongoing negotiations with Croatia and Iceland until they get a promise for one more opt out.
It isn't impossible that we'll see something like that. On the other hand half of the stuff Davis mentions are 'in or out' questions - there's no question on acceptance of internal market regulation or on the trade mandate. In fact, if the UK wants serious opt outs from internal market regulations it couldn't even get into the EEA when it leaves the EU.
No doubt Davis realises that what he's saying is preposterous and he would actually like to see the UK out.
That'd still leave Dave with that fruitcake Hannan and his nice Polish allies in the EP, so it won't be the end of his headaches.
But if Cameron doesn't manage to tranquilize the base the UKIP might wind up running a successful spoiler campaign in the 2010 General. En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma
If I'm wrong about this, though, we'll be in for interesting times.
And with EU membership as the hot-button issue, a Tory-LibDem government becomes impossible.
Interesting times, indeed. En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma
Well running the current predicted figures through electoral calculus site, it dosn't take more than about 1 in 20 tory voters from current scores to defect to UKIP for a hung parliament to occur. Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
If the tories get elected, though, and there are no large UKIP gains to pressure them towards a more eurosceptic stance, I think the Eton boys are going to be the ones doing the kniving.
recovering control over our criminal justice, asylum and immigration policies; a robust opt-out of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights
But the Charter is not the Convention. So far he's not proposing stepping out of the Convention. I'd think he'd eventually want out of the Convention as well, or at least out of a few Protocols.
Angela Merkel spoke out on the urgent need for all countries to accept binding obligations on climate change in a rare address before the US Congress, ahead of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Ahead of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, German Chancellor Angela Merkel made a rare address before the US Congress on Tuesday to thank Americans for their support during in the past and and promote the need for climate change. She is the first chancellor of her country to speak before Congress in over 50 years, which US President Barack Obama called "a very appropriate honour". Merkel thanked Americans for their support as the Berlin Wall fell 20 years ago, stressing that Germany would never forget the help from the US. "Ladies and gentlemen, to put it in just one sentence, I know, we Germans know how much we owe to you our American friends. And we shall never, I personally shall never, ever forget this," Merkel said.
Angela Merkel spoke out on the urgent need for all countries to accept binding obligations on climate change in a rare address before the US Congress, ahead of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Ahead of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, German Chancellor Angela Merkel made a rare address before the US Congress on Tuesday to thank Americans for their support during in the past and and promote the need for climate change.
She is the first chancellor of her country to speak before Congress in over 50 years, which US President Barack Obama called "a very appropriate honour".
Merkel thanked Americans for their support as the Berlin Wall fell 20 years ago, stressing that Germany would never forget the help from the US.
"Ladies and gentlemen, to put it in just one sentence, I know, we Germans know how much we owe to you our American friends. And we shall never, I personally shall never, ever forget this," Merkel said.
With Angela Merkel speaking to Congress and an EU-United States summit set to begin on 4 November, Europe is present in force in Washington. But the European press warns against the illusion of a special transatlantic relationship, which is belied by the prospect of a tepid reception in the White House, and a US president who appears to be largely disdainful of Europe. "When European commission president José Manuel Barroso and selected senior chums sit down for luncheon at the White House tomorrow, their genial stand-in host will be vice-president Joe Biden," writes Simon Tisdall in the Guardian, who further adds, "if this sounds like a bit of a snub, well, it is." The indifference bordering on disdain, which Barack Obama demonstrates for his European allies is a source of concern on the Old Continent, notes the British daily -- and according to the European Council on Foreign Relations, Europe has only itself to blame. In its audit of EU-US relations published on 2nd November, the British think tank takes the view that Europe, which remains largely submissive with regard to the US, should stop fetishizing transatlantic relations, and come to terms with the advent of a post-American era, which will require it to change many of its attitudes and strategies. Unlike the United States, which has set aside the Cold War doctrine, "European states are still clinging to a belief in American hegemony, which leads them to adopt servile attitudes to Washington," observes Spiegel-Online. In fact, they are so determined in their desire to "flatter America" that they "become involved in ventures that are not necessarily in Europe's interest -- the war in Afghanistan being a case in point." From America's point of view, this conduct has a lot in common with the behaviour of "small attention seeking children," adds the on-line version of the German weekly.
With Angela Merkel speaking to Congress and an EU-United States summit set to begin on 4 November, Europe is present in force in Washington. But the European press warns against the illusion of a special transatlantic relationship, which is belied by the prospect of a tepid reception in the White House, and a US president who appears to be largely disdainful of Europe.
"When European commission president José Manuel Barroso and selected senior chums sit down for luncheon at the White House tomorrow, their genial stand-in host will be vice-president Joe Biden," writes Simon Tisdall in the Guardian, who further adds, "if this sounds like a bit of a snub, well, it is." The indifference bordering on disdain, which Barack Obama demonstrates for his European allies is a source of concern on the Old Continent, notes the British daily -- and according to the European Council on Foreign Relations, Europe has only itself to blame.
In its audit of EU-US relations published on 2nd November, the British think tank takes the view that Europe, which remains largely submissive with regard to the US, should stop fetishizing transatlantic relations, and come to terms with the advent of a post-American era, which will require it to change many of its attitudes and strategies. Unlike the United States, which has set aside the Cold War doctrine, "European states are still clinging to a belief in American hegemony, which leads them to adopt servile attitudes to Washington," observes Spiegel-Online. In fact, they are so determined in their desire to "flatter America" that they "become involved in ventures that are not necessarily in Europe's interest -- the war in Afghanistan being a case in point." From America's point of view, this conduct has a lot in common with the behaviour of "small attention seeking children," adds the on-line version of the German weekly.
Perhaps an "Obama test" should apply. If Tony Blair, as newly installed "Mr Europe", were to turn up for lunch at the White House tomorrow, would Obama join him for clam chowder? Possibly, yes. If it was any of the other, obscure "little Europeans" mentioned for the EU presidency job? Probably not.
...which remains largely submissive with regard to the US, should stop fetishizing transatlantic relations...
Merkel talks big for one audiance, but her diplomats tell a different story by their actions. Some "urgent need".
AFP - Italy violates parents' right to educate their children along secular lines by displaying crucifixes in classrooms, the European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday.The judgment sparked anger in Catholic Italy, with the country's education minister attacking the decision, insisting the crucifix was a "symbol of our tradition".The Strasbourg court found that: "The compulsory display of a symbol of a given confession in premises used by the public authorities... restricted the right of parents to educate their children in conformity with their convictions."It also restricted the "right of children to believe or not to believe," the seven judges ruling on the case said.
AFP - Italy violates parents' right to educate their children along secular lines by displaying crucifixes in classrooms, the European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday.
The judgment sparked anger in Catholic Italy, with the country's education minister attacking the decision, insisting the crucifix was a "symbol of our tradition".
The Strasbourg court found that: "The compulsory display of a symbol of a given confession in premises used by the public authorities... restricted the right of parents to educate their children in conformity with their convictions."
It also restricted the "right of children to believe or not to believe," the seven judges ruling on the case said.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is trying to play up France's friendship with Germany, partly in an attempt to distract attention from domestic issues. But officials in Berlin fear that the problems between the two countries are actually increasing. At least there is one person who feels enthusiastic about Germany's new coalition government of Angela Merkel's center-right Christian Democrats and the business friendly Free Democratic Party. It was very good news that Germany plans to lower taxes, French President Nicolas Sarkozy cooed on Wednesday evening in the inner courtyard of the Elysee Palace in Paris. "It will enable France and Germany to cooperate even more closely," he said. Then the president grabbed the hand of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, holding on as if he would never let it go. The chancellor was considerably more reserved on that evening in Paris, the evening after her swearing-in ceremony. Research, education and growth, she said, were issues on which Germany and France would cooperate more closely in the future. She quickly extracted her hand from Sarkozy's grip. She said nothing about taxes -- for good reason. The French delight over the tax policy for which Merkel has reaped bushels of criticism at home is only one of the many oddities in the relationship between the two countries. Paris hopes that Berlin will now give up its goal of budget consolidation. In Berlin, on the other hand, officials insist that this is precisely not what is planned. Once again, there is an odd asymmetry to Franco-German relations, and not just on financial matters.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is trying to play up France's friendship with Germany, partly in an attempt to distract attention from domestic issues. But officials in Berlin fear that the problems between the two countries are actually increasing.
At least there is one person who feels enthusiastic about Germany's new coalition government of Angela Merkel's center-right Christian Democrats and the business friendly Free Democratic Party. It was very good news that Germany plans to lower taxes, French President Nicolas Sarkozy cooed on Wednesday evening in the inner courtyard of the Elysee Palace in Paris. "It will enable France and Germany to cooperate even more closely," he said. Then the president grabbed the hand of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, holding on as if he would never let it go.
The chancellor was considerably more reserved on that evening in Paris, the evening after her swearing-in ceremony. Research, education and growth, she said, were issues on which Germany and France would cooperate more closely in the future. She quickly extracted her hand from Sarkozy's grip. She said nothing about taxes -- for good reason.
The French delight over the tax policy for which Merkel has reaped bushels of criticism at home is only one of the many oddities in the relationship between the two countries. Paris hopes that Berlin will now give up its goal of budget consolidation. In Berlin, on the other hand, officials insist that this is precisely not what is planned. Once again, there is an odd asymmetry to Franco-German relations, and not just on financial matters.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Leaders of the countries next in line to take on the day-to-day running of the European Union have made it clear that they do not wish to be sidelined by any future EU president. Gathered in Brussels last week to present a common logo for 18 months of co-operation beginning in January, the prime ministers of Spain, Belgium and Hungary were keen to emphasize the importance of "institutional balance" - an oblique way of saying they do not wish to get elbowed out of the political picture by a powerful new president of the European Council, a post created by the almost-ratified Lisbon Treaty. Spanish PM Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero will lay down the foundations for how the system will work in the future "The future of Europe does not depend on one person ...the future of Europe depends on institutions," said Belgian leader Herman Van Rompuy. His Hungarian counterpart Gordon Bajnai said "more time" is needed to "decide the role of the president and his relation to the rotating president." He also said that one of the three prerequisites for the future president should be that the person "is someone who is ready to live with the already existing institutions of Europe."
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Leaders of the countries next in line to take on the day-to-day running of the European Union have made it clear that they do not wish to be sidelined by any future EU president.
Gathered in Brussels last week to present a common logo for 18 months of co-operation beginning in January, the prime ministers of Spain, Belgium and Hungary were keen to emphasize the importance of "institutional balance" - an oblique way of saying they do not wish to get elbowed out of the political picture by a powerful new president of the European Council, a post created by the almost-ratified Lisbon Treaty.
Spanish PM Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero will lay down the foundations for how the system will work in the future
"The future of Europe does not depend on one person ...the future of Europe depends on institutions," said Belgian leader Herman Van Rompuy.
His Hungarian counterpart Gordon Bajnai said "more time" is needed to "decide the role of the president and his relation to the rotating president." He also said that one of the three prerequisites for the future president should be that the person "is someone who is ready to live with the already existing institutions of Europe."
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - UK business minister Peter Mandelson has announced that the UK intends to adopt legislation almost identical to France's controversial three-strikes anti-internet-piracy legislation. As in France, websurfers found to be downloading content without permission of the copyright owner will first be sent a warning email. The record industry believes downloaders are free-loaders, but musicians think they are fans But where across the English Channel, internauts are then sent a letter in the post, in the UK, they will have their bandwidth restricted. A third offense will then, as with President Nicholas Sarkozy's flagship legislation, result in internet cut-off. Paris' `Hadopi' law, named for the new government agency charged with hunting down the pirates, is considered draconian by online rights advocates for the powers the agency has, backed by a series of special piracy judges, to cut off internet access and even jail repeat offenders.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - UK business minister Peter Mandelson has announced that the UK intends to adopt legislation almost identical to France's controversial three-strikes anti-internet-piracy legislation.
As in France, websurfers found to be downloading content without permission of the copyright owner will first be sent a warning email.
The record industry believes downloaders are free-loaders, but musicians think they are fans
But where across the English Channel, internauts are then sent a letter in the post, in the UK, they will have their bandwidth restricted.
A third offense will then, as with President Nicholas Sarkozy's flagship legislation, result in internet cut-off.
Paris' `Hadopi' law, named for the new government agency charged with hunting down the pirates, is considered draconian by online rights advocates for the powers the agency has, backed by a series of special piracy judges, to cut off internet access and even jail repeat offenders.
Herman Van Rompuy, the Belgian prime minister, has emerged as the favourite to become the first president of the European Union, despite being almost unknown on the international stage Mr Van Rompuy, who enjoys writing Japanese-style poetry, is regarded as the "safe" anti-Tony Blair choice for Germany and the smaller "dwarves gang" of EU countries. He has discussed taking up the post with his family over Sunday lunch this weekend and appears to be on course to be picked as the least controversial candidate.
Mr Van Rompuy, who enjoys writing Japanese-style poetry, is regarded as the "safe" anti-Tony Blair choice for Germany and the smaller "dwarves gang" of EU countries.
He has discussed taking up the post with his family over Sunday lunch this weekend and appears to be on course to be picked as the least controversial candidate.
Better late than never. EU leaders hope that the Lisbon treaty will come into force on December 1, almost a year later than originally envisaged. A new timetable has been drawn up following the disruption caused by Irish voters and the Czech President under which an EU President and Foreign Minister will take office as soon as January 1. Now that President Klaus has signed the treaty on behalf of the Czech Republic, the process will be complete when the formal articles of ratification are deposited in Rome, where the original treaties founding the European Economic Community in 1957 are held.
Better late than never.
EU leaders hope that the Lisbon treaty will come into force on December 1, almost a year later than originally envisaged.
A new timetable has been drawn up following the disruption caused by Irish voters and the Czech President under which an EU President and Foreign Minister will take office as soon as January 1.
Now that President Klaus has signed the treaty on behalf of the Czech Republic, the process will be complete when the formal articles of ratification are deposited in Rome, where the original treaties founding the European Economic Community in 1957 are held.
During his very first appearance in Brussels, in 2002, Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende immediately earned the respect of Jacques Chirac. But his emphasis on Dutch national interests has not made him popular everywhere.Now Tony Blair, former prime minister of the UK, has more or less been discounted and it has informally been agreed that the first president of the European Union will be a Christian Democrats, the spotlight has fallen on other candidates: Belgian premier Herman Van Rompuy, Luxemburg's Jean-Claude Juncker and Jan Peter Balkenende have risen up the list of those most mentioned. The Czech constitutional court on Tuesday approved the EU reform treaty. So government leaders of the 27 EU member states will probably decide at an extra European summit in the next weeks. Between now and then there is plenty of time for Balkenende to crash and burn, a worried Dutch official said last week in the corridors of power. But Balkenende is still in contention. And not just because other European leaders are thinking of him. He himself would love the job. Two years ago personnel in Balkenende's office had already noticed he was interested in a job in Brussels.
Now Tony Blair, former prime minister of the UK, has more or less been discounted and it has informally been agreed that the first president of the European Union will be a Christian Democrats, the spotlight has fallen on other candidates: Belgian premier Herman Van Rompuy, Luxemburg's Jean-Claude Juncker and Jan Peter Balkenende have risen up the list of those most mentioned.
The Czech constitutional court on Tuesday approved the EU reform treaty. So government leaders of the 27 EU member states will probably decide at an extra European summit in the next weeks. Between now and then there is plenty of time for Balkenende to crash and burn, a worried Dutch official said last week in the corridors of power. But Balkenende is still in contention. And not just because other European leaders are thinking of him. He himself would love the job. Two years ago personnel in Balkenende's office had already noticed he was interested in a job in Brussels.
It may be right to argue that there is just one living person on this planet with more blood on his hands than Tony Blair. His name is George Bush. With more than one million fatalities in Iraq, he is not far behind Hitler and Stalin, notes Gilad Atzmon. Gordon brown urged European Socialist leaders this week to appoint Tony Blair as the European President. "Get real", he told them, "This is a unique opportunity to get a strong progressive politician to be the president." Brown is obviously correct, nothing could be more refreshing, innovative `real' and `progressive' than assigning the job to a man who has more blood on his hands than any other person in Europe. It may also be right to argue that there is just one living person on this planet with more blood on his hands than Blair. That man dwells in Texas, his name is George and actually unlike our Bonaparte figure, he keeps relatively quiet. Unlike George, our Boney is craving for recognition, he cannot live without a crown or an official title. Someone should remind Boney that he already made it into history; he can really take a break. With more than one million fatalities in Iraq, he is not far behind Hitler and Stalin.
It may be right to argue that there is just one living person on this planet with more blood on his hands than Tony Blair. His name is George Bush. With more than one million fatalities in Iraq, he is not far behind Hitler and Stalin, notes Gilad Atzmon.
Gordon brown urged European Socialist leaders this week to appoint Tony Blair as the European President. "Get real", he told them, "This is a unique opportunity to get a strong progressive politician to be the president."
Brown is obviously correct, nothing could be more refreshing, innovative `real' and `progressive' than assigning the job to a man who has more blood on his hands than any other person in Europe. It may also be right to argue that there is just one living person on this planet with more blood on his hands than Blair. That man dwells in Texas, his name is George and actually unlike our Bonaparte figure, he keeps relatively quiet. Unlike George, our Boney is craving for recognition, he cannot live without a crown or an official title. Someone should remind Boney that he already made it into history; he can really take a break. With more than one million fatalities in Iraq, he is not far behind Hitler and Stalin.
Blair lobbies directly for EU presidency Tony Blair, the former prime minister, has attempted to revive his fading prospects of becoming the European Union's first full-time president by lobbying directly the leaders of France and Germany, EU government sources have told the Financial Times. As Vaclav Klaus, the Czech president, on Wednesday became the final EU leader to sign the Lisbon treaty, which creates the role of president, it emerged that Mr Blair pressed his candidacy in telephone calls last weekend to Nicolas Sarkozy, France's president, and Angela Merkel, Germany's chancellor, a senior London official said. (...) But with no clear frontrunner among the candidates from smaller countries, and with many national leaders unwilling to show their hand too soon, Mr Blair's candidacy may still have life in it, they said.
Tony Blair, the former prime minister, has attempted to revive his fading prospects of becoming the European Union's first full-time president by lobbying directly the leaders of France and Germany, EU government sources have told the Financial Times.
As Vaclav Klaus, the Czech president, on Wednesday became the final EU leader to sign the Lisbon treaty, which creates the role of president, it emerged that Mr Blair pressed his candidacy in telephone calls last weekend to Nicolas Sarkozy, France's president, and Angela Merkel, Germany's chancellor, a senior London official said.
(...)
But with no clear frontrunner among the candidates from smaller countries, and with many national leaders unwilling to show their hand too soon, Mr Blair's candidacy may still have life in it, they said.
If he has broken cover and is relying on phone-a-friend, it's over.
A major fissure opens up in Labour's support for the Afghan war with a call from the former Foreign Office minister Kim Howells for the phased withdrawal of British troops from Helmand. Howells, who is now Gordon Brown's intelligence and security watchdog, said the billions of pounds saved should be redirected to defending the UK from terrorist attacks by al-Qaida. Writing in the Guardian, Howells, who had ministerial responsibility for Afghanistan until 2008, said: "It would be better to bring home the great majority of our fighting men and women and concentrate, instead, on using the money saved to secure our own borders, gather intelligence on terrorist activities inside Britain." Controversially, he accepts that such an approach would result in "more intrusive surveillance in certain communities" - a tacit acknowledgment that Britain's Muslims would be subject to greater scrutiny by police and intelligence services.
Howells, who is now Gordon Brown's intelligence and security watchdog, said the billions of pounds saved should be redirected to defending the UK from terrorist attacks by al-Qaida.
Writing in the Guardian, Howells, who had ministerial responsibility for Afghanistan until 2008, said: "It would be better to bring home the great majority of our fighting men and women and concentrate, instead, on using the money saved to secure our own borders, gather intelligence on terrorist activities inside Britain."
Controversially, he accepts that such an approach would result in "more intrusive surveillance in certain communities" - a tacit acknowledgment that Britain's Muslims would be subject to greater scrutiny by police and intelligence services.
And those are the choices New Labour offers: a foreign war in Afghanistan, or a police state at home. Can the UK have some better "leaders" please?
Seriously, I cannot think of a real leader amongst the whole lot of them. Even Ed Milliband, whose heart is in the right place is cowed by his right wing toady of a brother. But all of them, like Brown, want power and mistake the having of it for leadership. keep to the Fen Causeway
