Herman Van Rompuy, the centre-right Belgian prime minister, is set to become the first president of the European Council as Tony Blair was forced to admit defeat in his long-running campaign for the job. But Britain is to be rewarded with the key post of high representative for foreign policy, going to the former Labour cabinet minister Lady Ashton.Tony Blair bowed out when it became clear that centre-right leaders, who dominate the EU, are determined that the post, created by the Lisbon treaty, should go to their group.Gordon Brown moved onto "Plan B" after making a final push for Blair at a meeting of centre-left leaders in Brussels shortly before the summit. To nobody's surprise, it became clear that Blair enjoyed no support in the group. At the meeting Brown pulled the Blair nomination off the table and proposed Ashton, a former leader of the Lords, for high commissioner instead.
Herman Van Rompuy, the centre-right Belgian prime minister, is set to become the first president of the European Council as Tony Blair was forced to admit defeat in his long-running campaign for the job. But Britain is to be rewarded with the key post of high representative for foreign policy, going to the former Labour cabinet minister Lady Ashton.
Tony Blair bowed out when it became clear that centre-right leaders, who dominate the EU, are determined that the post, created by the Lisbon treaty, should go to their group.
Gordon Brown moved onto "Plan B" after making a final push for Blair at a meeting of centre-left leaders in Brussels shortly before the summit. To nobody's surprise, it became clear that Blair enjoyed no support in the group. At the meeting Brown pulled the Blair nomination off the table and proposed Ashton, a former leader of the Lords, for high commissioner instead.
Does that mean that he failed because he was not "centre" enough?
By the way, what is centre in Tories, Forza Italia or UMP? Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed. Gandhi
Blair is not surprised that he failed to secure the post because he was aware of the "direction of travel" when he telephoned a series of EU leaders.It is understood that he would have been unsure of taking the post when the Swedish government, which holds the rotating EU presidency, indicated in a paper on Wednesday that the president would have little or no role in foreign affairs.This appeared to run counter to the Lisbon treaty, which said the president would oversee foreign policy in conjunction with the high representative.
Blair is not surprised that he failed to secure the post because he was aware of the "direction of travel" when he telephoned a series of EU leaders.
It is understood that he would have been unsure of taking the post when the Swedish government, which holds the rotating EU presidency, indicated in a paper on Wednesday that the president would have little or no role in foreign affairs.
This appeared to run counter to the Lisbon treaty, which said the president would oversee foreign policy in conjunction with the high representative.
Nice spin: the Lisbon Treaty seems rather clear in giving the High Representative. the lead (the PotEC does foreign representation "without prejudice to the powers of the High Representative"). *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
