Oh No, Not Tony Blair, Please!

The story was bruited in the British Press today that if the Irish vote in favour of the Lisbon Treaty tomorrow, then Tony Blair’s chances of becoming the first ‘permanent’ President of the European Council will be enhanced. Is this some fiendish rumour propagated by Declan Ganley and others who want to encourage the good residents of Eire to vote No? Wherever the impetus is coming from, the pro-Blair movement must be resisted. A Blair presidency would hardly be likely to boost the EU’s international credibility or effectiveness. Just look at his record (or lack of it) when he was Prime Minister. He was swept to power in 1997 with a mandate that would have allowed him to do almost anything, including persuading the British people to vote in favour of adopting the euro and putting the United Kingdom right at the centre of the Union. But he flunked it. It’s not as if he doesn’t have enough to do already, as the (unfortunately rather unsuccessful) Quartet’s mediator in Israel/Palestine, head of his own faith foundation and money-spinner on the US lecture circuit. The last thing we want is a half-hearted, half-time Council President. It’s not as if there is any lack of competent and potentially inspiring people to choose from.

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