Comment at end
5th October, 2009
Too late for a referendum? It might be too late for the Tories, full stop.
Sometimes I wonder what Cameron, Osborne & Hague were drinking when they thought they could match, even beat Tony Blair.
And sometimes I wonder what the Labour party were thinking when they thought they could thrive, let alone survive without him.
The Tories suddenly look amateurish and incapable, lacking political nous and foresight. And the Labour party looks … the same. But also as though it has just seen a ghost, portending an unexpected but welcome omen of possible salvation.
Both are dumbfounded.
As I keep reminding myself it isn’t over till it’s over, but it looks increasingly likely that Tony Blair will be the first permanent President of the EU Council of Ministers before too many moons have waxed and waned. If it IS to be ‘Mr President Blair’ soon, the next general election could be far more open than most of us could ever have imagined.
If so, Labour party, don’t forget who you need to thank.
From The Times
Too late for the Tories: Czechs dash hopes of delaying EU treaty
Czech President Vaclav Klaus says "it is too late for the Tories" (Pic: Filip Singer/EPA)
The last hurdles for the Lisbon treaty — and to Tony Blair’s chance of becoming Europe’s first president — seemed to fall away yesterday when the Poles pledged to sign and the Czech President warned David Cameron that it was “too late” for him to stop the document taking effect. Vaclav Klaus signalled that he would pass the treaty once it had been reassessed by the Czech Constitutional Court, a process which could take some weeks but is unlikely to last until May or June, when Mr Cameron hopes to take power and then hold a referendum.
With the Polish President, Lech Kaczynski, also saying yesterday that he would ratify following the emphatic approval of the treaty by Ireland in its re-run referendum, it could come into force as soon as January 1.
EU leaders hope to decide upon both their new president and foreign minister, the position of High Representative also created by the treaty, at their summit in Brussels at the end of this month. The decisions could well be provisional, however, pending President Klaus’s final assent. The Czech Constitutional Court will announce in two weeks’ time a timetable for its latest inquiry, demanded by senators close to President Klaus and widely seen as a delaying tactic.
British Conservatives hoping that the mercurial Czech President will keep the treaty alive long enough for them to win power and call a British referendum seem likely to be disappointed.
[…]
A range of names besides Mr Blair has been suggested, including several current Prime Ministers: Jan Peter Balkenende of the Netherlands, François Fillon of France and Jean-Claude Juncker of Luxembourg. Other former leaders under discussion include Felipe González of Spain, Wolfgang Schüssel of Austria, Mary Robinson of Ireland and Paavo Lipponen of Finland.
Fresh from his first real success since becoming Irish leader in May last year, the Taioseach, Brian Cowen, yesterday signalled that Mr Blair could expect Irish backing.
“Tony is highly respected in this country,” he said. “He made a wonderful contribution during his premiership in relation to the peace process, providing peace and stability in this country. I have certainly the highest regard for Tony Blair. If he is a candidate, you can take it that we would be very supportive.”
Mr Cowen acknowledged that Ireland’s deepest recession in decades was the principal factor behind its pro-treaty vote, with 67 per cent in favour.
More here at The Times
Tags: Austria, Brian Cowen, cameron, Czech President Vaclav Klaus, EU President, Felipe Gonzalez, Finland., François Fillon, France, Hague, Ireland, Ireland supports Blair, Irish Lisbon referendum vote, Jan Peter Balkenende, Jean-Claude Juncker, Lech Kaczynski, Luxembourg, Mary Robinson, netherlands, Osborne, Paavo Lipponen, Polish President, spain, Taioseach, Tony Blair, too late for Tories over Lisbon Treaty, Wolfgang Schüssel
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