discussion title:
Tony Blair 'days from EU presidency'
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23760660-tony-blair-days-from-eu-presidency.do
Tony Blair may be on track to become the first EU president within days.
Frantic horse-trading is due to start at a summit this week in Brussels on who should become the new supremo.
The EU presidency is not formally on the agenda but will be discussed by leaders in talks behind closed doors.
The secretive appointment procedure means Mr Blair could effectively be named president of Europe - with no say for voters. A special EU summit, possibly next month, is expected to be held to finalise the decision.
Foreign Secretary David Miliband has stepped up the campaign for the former prime minister to be given the top EU job. But Labour MPs today joined the Tory and Liberal Democrat attacks on Mr Blair's possible selection by the 27 EU heads of state.
Vauxhall's Kate Hoey said: "I don't want anyone to be president of Europe." She believes there will be considerable anger if Mr Blair, who she accused of taking Britain to war illegally in Iraq, became the "voice of Europe".
Glasgow's Ian Davidson said: "The Lisbon Treaty has not yet been ratified. I still hope that we will have a referendum in the UK and that the position of president will not be created."
Mr Blair is also facing opposition from the smaller EU countries, including Belgium and Luxembourg, who believe that he may represent the interest of big nations rather than all the 27 members.
