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For and against: Tony Blair the EU president?
What key British and foreign figures are saying about the prospect of Tony Blair as EU president
The Lisbon Treaty - the controversial blueprint which details the future of the European Union - is one signature away from ratification. The Czech Republic is the only country not to have signed the treaty and its president, Vaclav Klaus, is under intense pressure from other EU leaders to comply. The likelihood is that he will bow to the inevitable and sign at an EU summit at the end of this week. Once he does, two new job vacancies will need to be filled: that of EU foreign minister and EU president.
The current favourite for the role of EU president is Tony Blair, but as in his former life of British prime minister, he is a divisive figure.
Here is how the 'pro' and 'anti' camps line-up:
Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, in the Observer: "The message I hear in places such as Beijing, Delhi and Washington is that if the EU wants to be taken seriously, it should choose [Tony Blair] as president. As one Indian official said to me: 'If you choose the prime minister of Luxembourg, we may not find time to meet him.'"
Jean-Claude Juncker, prime minister of Luxembourg in Financial Times Deutschland: "[There was] an informal understanding that the first EU president wouldn't come from one of the bigger countries."
David Miliband, foreign secretary, on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "I think it would be very good for Britain if Tony Blair was a candidate and was chosen. We need someone who, when he or she lands in Beijing or Washington or Moscow, the traffic does need to stop and talks do need to begin at a very, very high level."
Silvio Berlusconi, Italian prime minister, in a letter to Il Foglio:
"Tony Blair has what it takes to become the EU's first president. My government and I will do our best to ensure that a great political heritage built from courage, balance and prudence... will not dissipate."
Henry Porter, the Observer: "If you conceive of a job like [EU president], you surely have higher ambitions than to fill it immediately with a man who was not merely implicated in the decision to go to war in Iraq, but was its co-author. This love of brand - any damn brand as long as recognition is high - says much about the undemocratic, swooning frivolity of so many European leaders but they may yet come to regret their haste when Blair appears in front of the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq War."
Daily Mail, comment: "We've rid ourselves of Tony Blair once. The vision of him returning - like Napoleon from exile on Elba - to inflict more damage on Britain is the stuff of nightmares."
William Hague, shadow foreign secretary: "The other European governments need to be aware that the easiest way to turn the British people against the European Union and underline the lack of legitimacy and democracy of what would be created by the Lisbon treaty is to make Tony Blair the president."
Denis MacShane, Europe minister under Tony Blair: "Other names are being kicked about, but those candidates all have drawbacks: they either also signed on to the Iraq invasion, or they're now on the Kremlin's payroll, or they lack Blair's fluent French, which counts for a lot in Southern Europe, where it often functions as a second language. Blair, moreover, remains popular in Eastern Europe as the champion of EU and Nato expansion."
Colleen Graffy, former US assistant secretary of state: "If a poll were taken in the US, both Democrats and Republicans would choose Blair as the clear favourite to lead the EU."
Bertie Ahern: former Irish prime minister: "Tony's a good friend of mine, and I'd like to see him get [the job] if he really wants it. I'm positive that he does. Tony is not going to walk into this without a lot of stuff going on in the background. There will be games going on."
A German government source, quote in Time: "Chancellor Angela Merkel worked well with [Blair] during the 2007 German EU presidency when the Lisbon Treaty was sealed. But of course, she worked well with others too."
Philippe Sands, QC and professor of law at University College, London: "Charm isn't enough. In the eyes of many around the world, the Blair government's prosecution of illegal war and possible association with torture make him a most surprising candidate. Europe is entitled to someone who won't be the subject of inquiries." ·
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Comments
Tony Blair? President? Surely some mistake! This must be a joke. There is only one sane nomination to be made for this undeniably important role on the world stage...Does nobody remember Mary Robinson?
Tony Blair...this vile man that has been caught lying and concocting warmongering, is the least qualified as President of the EU.
Wonder what they see in him?
This is the same donkey that was appointed to make the Mid -East peace move forward but has not made an iota of difference except kissing the Zionist behinds.
Also, it would expose Europe as a selfish entity in the eyes of many other non-white nations.
Frankly, this man should be on trial in the Hague as a criminal.
Dear God, will we never be rid of this dreadful fellow? It is inconceivable with his tarnished recent past that credible voices could be raised in support of his EU presidency.Where is that petition to stop him sited?
A.V Eracity a.k.a Alex - what exactly are YOU smoking? You really are a vile and disagreable person. The presumably deliberate mis -spelling of my surname puts you somewhere in the 5th form I think, along with the rest of your adolescent nonsense.
This is an important issue - don't devalue it with your ridiculous and hateful ignorance.
Tony Blair was dangerous and damaging as Prime Minister but he would be disastrous as President of Europe. His selfish arrogance and short sighted thinking would play into the hands of the corporate control freaks that seek to rule Europe in the way that they already do in Russia, USA and if we are not careful China. Greed is a powerful mistress!
I agree with Peter Simmons. Blair should be on trial for war crimes, not only for his illegal war in Iraq, but also with totally destroying the British economy. With him in power we had more to fear from him than terror attacks on our streets. Please world if you if you care for your children and children's children PUT A STOP TO HIS APPOINTMENT.
David Tyler
Looks like I have stirred the preverbal homosexual hornet's nest, I must have trod on Pamela Growler's homosexual corns, or maybe she is smoking something. Having read her verbal diarrhoea I am led to believe that she is in denial. And to Tony Pratt, no, I am not related to Nick Griffin, but I see no difference between his Philosophy Pamela's they are both laced with the same poison.
Blair would bring shame on the EU. He failed to promote or further the European ideal whilst Premier of his country and to date the UK has neither adopted Schengen nor the Euro. He promised the British Electorate a referendum on Europe but again failed to deliver. Britain remains outside the European mainstream because of Mr Blairâ??s failure to commit to Europe. His part in the illegal war with Iraq make him wholly unsuitable for this post. An Iraq War Enquiry currently being held in Britain is facing calls for those found responsible to face War Crimes charges. He has callously used his warrior contacts to secure extremely lucrative consultancies in vulnerable countries and his record as Middle East Peace Envoy is laughable. The Stop Blair online petition has almost 42,000 signatures and don't forget the millions across the world who demonstrated against him and Bush in 2003. Blair at the head of Europe would be a travesty.
I can't believe that people are suggesting "maybe he'd be a good president" or "he might not be a good choice". He's a lying Master of Conartistry and vehement warmonger, for God's sake! He hoodwinked Britain so he could help his pal Bush shoot up Iraq and kill thousands, all for cheap oil for the US gas-guzzlers! Let's try to keep serial killers out of high office, please.
Blair will become the first President of Europe, this was seemingly approved a number of years ago. It clearly shows up the undemocratic nature of the Lisbon Treaty. This man has served his masters in "big business" well and this surely is one of his rewards. He dragged Britain into an illegal war, spearheaded the assault on democracy and has led the privatisation on the nation's assets. He and his party has championed minority interests whereby they, the minorities, have more rights than those of the vast majority of the British people. It is no wonder that that the BNP is growing in power. One can hardly consider Mr Blair impartial in world affairs and there can be no doubt he will continue his war-mongering ways in support of US business interests and drag the EU into more wars. Who is next: Pakistan, Iran, Burma, Venezuela....??
It would turn a large number of people against the EU in this country, but then, that may be the plan. Mrs Blair as the First "lady" might also be difficult to swallow after her biography.
Who better to bring the glorious dream of Der Fuhrer of a United Europe under one leader than that cheezy bureaucrat? He's made the commitment after all... converting to Catholicism. That should go someway to mollify Herr Schickelgruber's spirit somewhat...
What has he done as the UN Envoy for the Middle East??? Zilch!!! And he should take over the Presidency of Europe doing the same thing as the latter? zilch!!!! Please NO, NO,NO,NO.NO.........
WRT A.V. Eracityy's comment, I find 3 things troubling. Firstly the homophobia. Secondly the apparent belief the HS legisaltion was the most significant aspect of Blair's PMship and worst of all, s/he apparently believes there is a god. Clearly well away with the fairies.
The whole idea of first putting forward and then questioning the merits of Tony Blair becoming the new EU 'president' is designed to divide people and encourage them to debate something they haven't even voted for and cannot vote out. This craftily dupes people into indirectly accepting that there should indeed be an EU president. This is yet another example of the totalitarian, anti-democratic, bullying nature of what many people now see as a replicated version of the USSR, this wicked new regime already having been labelled the EUSSR. I predict it will crumble to ruins, because people are already not only questioning its legitimacy but frankly preparing for uprisings throughout Europe. We are being gang raped by politicians for whom the EU is nothing more an exclusive club just for them. There is no union of peoples but there sure will be in order to destroy this monstrous monument to the egotistical maniacs who created it.
Blair should not be president because the world knows he's a liar and warmonger. He should be destined for the Hague and war crimes charges.
Is A.V. Eracity Nick Griffin's brother? I suggest you go off and read the Daily Mail - it is more your level!
Regarding Blair for President - NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,
God help YOU, A.V. Eracity, who, as your pseudo-name suggests, believe yourself to be endowed with a greater hold on truth than the moral majority who reject your creed of hatred. Your homophobia is not holiness but a symptom of emotional and spiritual immaturity, ethically corrupt thinking, ignorance and a blasphemous irreverence of the human race you believe God made. There is Good News however. Psychotherapy can help realign you to healthy and balanced responses to the natural diversity that is the beauty of creation.
The United Kingdom, Europe and the Rest of the World deserve better.
Blair was the most immoral PM in British political History, his insatiable appetite to see homosexuality normalised has caused this country to go down further in the quality of its soul. And because of his homosexual legislation, decent people will now be criminalised for refusing to swallow this unnatural, and unholy homosexual pottage which is being forced upon them. Already Blairâ??s and Browns homosexual legislation is being used by homosexuals to bring malicious charges against their opponents. God Help the EU.