Skipper

If, as seems likely, the Czech president finally decides to ratify the Lisbon Treaty, the next issue to make Tory Euro-sceptics wet their knickers is whether Tony Blair should be the first incumbent as EU president- well discussed here and here. Oh yes, and here. My view is he would make an excellent choice. This is not because I wholly trust him or think him especially truthful but because I see him as a highly effective politician-Hague's high pitched protests bear testimony to that- who will do a job Europe needs doing.


My position begins as a committed internationalist. I think we need more collaborative action to stem global warming, terrorism, international crime and world poverty. The UN has failed to achieve: the EU has achieved its goal of economic integration and a degree of political unity also. But, as is sometimes said: Europe is an 'economic giant but a political pygmy'. For years Europe has meekly accepted a distant second place to the US and even looks like being shunted into a lesser future role than China as the future shape of the world's power dispositions begin to emerge.

Blair would provide the dynamism and flair to raise the EU's profile, to ensure its voice is heard. True he has been a divisive politician but he has also been a unifier too as in Northern Ireland. I find it hard to accept that the Tories are so viscerally opposed- unless they fear this guy is just too good for them- as surely a Brit in such a high profile position would be a good thing for the UK? To oppose him just because of domestic rivalries smacks of small minded parochialism.
To get the Economist's odds on the competition see here.