Blair wants to rule Europe
By TREVOR KAVANAGH Sun Political Editor TONY Blair last night gave the first glimpse of his vaulting ambition - to become the first elected Emperor of Europe. The Prime Minister emerged as the driving force behind breathtaking plans for a new President to guide Europe's destiny. The job will carry a fat salary, a presidential palace - which has yet to be built - and a six-year contract. The winner of this plum will be picked by the 15 national leaders who sit on the decision-making European Council. Mr Blair's aim to be the first President of Europe explains his renewed zeal for a referendum on the euro. But his fate lies in the hands of Chancellor Gordon Brown who will make the final decision on a referendum by the end of the year. The PM knows he cannot win the top job while Britain remains outside the flagging single currency. Scrapping the Pound would tie Britain irrevocably to Brussels - and complete the blueprint for a federal European superstate. Downing Street last night confirmed the PM is fully behind the presidency plan, outlined on his instructions by Europe minister Peter Hain. His official spokesman said: "We see merit in moving down this road. Peter Hain is to be commended for his openness in talking about our developing thinking." And Mr Blair last night fuelled speculation about his future by insisting he is committed to serving as PM only until the next election. He told BBC2's Newsnight: "I am not getting into the issue of whether I'm a go-on-and-on person." But he made it clear during the election that he has already mapped out the next stages of his political career - although he refused to tell me what they were when I questioned him at the time. Mr Blair's presidential ambitions took critics by surprise. George Eustice, of the NO campaign, said: "The last person to aspire to run Europe was Napoleon Bonaparte - and look what happened to him. "In future, the EU will need to become less centralised rather than concentrating power in the hands of a remote European president." Bonaparte took the title of emperor in 1804 after establishing a powerful central administration and a strong code of laws. He came to grief in two massive defeats at the hands of the British at Trafalgar and Waterloo. Bonaparte said later in exile: "Glory is fleeting but obscurity is for ever." Mr Blair faces a major battle to clear the first hurdle towards the presidency - by winning a referendum. But first he has to clear the biggest hurdle of all by persuading Downing Street neighbour Gordon Brown to back the vote. Government sources insist the Chancellor will not give the all-clear until he is convinced it is in Britain's "unequivocal" interests to join. One said: "From the Chancellor's perspective, this is the biggest economic decision we are going to have to take and it is a decision we will ultimately be judged upon. "We have to be absolutely certain we have got the decision right economically. "We have seen in the past that when the politics get ahead of the economics, the consequences are disastrous. "We could have all our ducks in a row only to see them shot down." The Chancellor is furious that Westminister gossips are suggesting he is ready to give the go-ahead in return for Tony Blair vacating the premiership. Another source said: "This is a judgment which will be de- cided in the long-term national interest, not for petty politics." Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith last night challenged the PM to "put up or shut up". He said: "If he wants to enter the euro, it should be his decision to get on with the referendum. "If he doesn't, he should shut up and get on with sorting out the health service and public transport and all the things that have gone wrong, the violent crime in the streets. "What he shouldn't do is play games with this issue, pretending one day he is in favour and one day he is not. "He is the one who has got to answer the question - and he should get on with it." Supporters believe Mr Blair can turn the tide of public opinion, despite evidence the majority is still overwhelming against. Labour polling guru Philip Gould claims new evidence shows the gap is narrowing to 51 per cent against the euro and 44 per cent in favour. But another opinion poll shows that 64 per cent - almost two in three voters - are still opposed. Those voters have enjoyed ten years of economic growth since leaving euro preparations in 1992, with Britain now the world's fourth-largest economy. The UK also has the lowest unemployment and inflation in Europe and is the No1 target for foreign investment - much of it from Germany and France. Labour strategists believe the only way Mr Blair can win a referendum is by claiming that a No vote would mean Britain having to pull out of the EU altogether. http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2002221863,00.html Serbian News Network - SNN [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.antic.org/
