Brussels outcry puts Blair presidency in doubt

George Parker and Tony Barber
Financial Times
October 30, 2009

Tony Blair’s chances of becoming the European Union’s first full-time president were in serious trouble late on Thursday as a Brussels summit opened with a chorus of criticism from his own supposed centre-left allies.

British officials said the “jungle drums” also suggested support for the former prime minister was on the wane in some European capitals, including, crucially, Paris and Berlin.

But as Mr Blair’s hopes faded, Brussels was awash with speculation that David Miliband, foreign secretary, could emerge as the EU’s new foreign policy chief. Mr Miliband, 44, has denied wanting the job, but he is among the most credible centre-left candidates; France’s Le Monde on Thursday declared him “young and brilliant”.

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