Monday
Tory politician and London Mayor Boris Johnson bets that Tony Blair will not get the post of European Union president, a role that will carry enhanced powers if or when the Lisbon Treaty (or Constitution) gets rammed through. He argues that countries such as France will not tolerate having this former big mate of George Boooosh take the role, representing not just France but 500 million souls across an entire continent.
Boris has a point: Blair is still heartily detested in France for arguably the one act that makes me think quite well of Blair - his determination to rid the world of Saddam Hussein, even if one would choose different justifications from him in that course (an argument that continues to divide libertarians, by the way). Nevertheless, Boris's underlying logic is strong: it is monstrous that a man who played a part in ensuring that Labour failed to honour its 2005 election manifesto pledge over a EU referendum on the EU constitution should be in the frame for the job that this Lisbon Treaty stitch-up has made possible. And as the Treaty is more or less the same as the Constitution, the position taken by Blair and by Gordon Brown represents their contempt for the democratic process.
But remember, however much one might loathe Mr Blair and the transnational progressivist, corrupt politics that he represents, it is the very idea that the EU needs some grand president at all, not simply the personality of this rather creepy individual, that should be kept front and centre. Even if the holder of the office is some drone from central Europe given to vacuous pronouncements on "good governance" or whatever, no such post should exist. It is hard, I know, to play the ball and not the man.
Of course, there is another theory: if Blair is elected to the job, his strutting, fake-charm might actually help discredit the idea of a EU presidency per se. Perhaps, though, that it is being too clever on my part.
As I have always made known, the only morally honest thing Blair did was to go to war in 2003. That it was against a scumbag murdering butcher like Saddam, who committed his first murder on purpose aged 11, makes it better for me.
All libertarians who read our blog will know, ad nauseam, that I have never failed to criticise those of our persuasion who oppose the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I will be cheefully and frankly defending my aggressive foreign policy position recommended for libertarian governments (is that a tautology?) at our conference later this month in London.
Posted by David Davis at October 5, 2009 09:48 AM
"It is hard, I know, to play the ball and not the man."
Is that you bringing your day job cliches to work at samizdata, Jonathan?! ;-)
"...it is the very idea that the EU needs some grand president at all, not simply the personality of this rather creepy individual, that should be kept front and centre."
Absolutely.
Boris was much better off as the daft sod on HIGNFY; it was only in that capacity that anybody with his head screwed on could have had any time for him.
Posted by mike at October 5, 2009 10:36 AM
Mike, I get confused with the sports journo occasionally, but I must admit I wasn't thinking of that when I wrote those words!!!
Posted by Johnathan Pearce at October 5, 2009 11:14 AM
Boris is a lot cleverer than a waggonload of Cameromonkeys. He only went on that increasingly leftist sho HIGNFY (which I now can't bear to watch) to get his profile up with "voters".
This is a good move, to use the seemingly neutral parts of the Wireless Tele Vision Machine to promote yourself as a sensible human droid, because Teh Masses will follow you, for about 48 hours which is the half-life of MSM ephemera.
The show is shit now: it wasn't when Brian Blessed was on it, sometimes, but it is now. Even Ian His-plop can't save it, and you can forget the other rude dude.
Posted by David Davis_libertarian Alliance at October 5, 2009 01:13 PM
Something about the way J P phrases the "Libertarian" attitudes toward certain kinds of wars (or other "external engagements?") causes one to consider:
Ideas are Libertarian
People are not.
Posted by RRS at October 5, 2009 02:29 PM
Alisa: hah! I only wish that sometimes she would! You're a cheeky neb aren't you?!
Posted by mike at October 5, 2009 04:37 PM
"The show is shit now..."
So I've heard, though I wouldn't know first hand myself not having watched it for about four years now (except the odd youtube clip).
Whatever, I still think Boris is a pillock - and I agree with Jonathan; drawing attention to the personality of Blair rather than the institutional monstrosity of the EU itself is not going to get any other reaction from me than a roll of the eyes.
I mean for crying out loud, Boris proclaims his support for Cameron every time someone points a camera at him, and yet he denounces Blair with almost unequalled venom. He's an utter plank and has infinitely less value to me than the girl who served me a couple of burgers in McDonalds this morning.
Posted by mike at October 5, 2009 05:03 PM
The only reason Tony Blair would get the "presidency" of the non-country (not a country! no theft of sovereignty! heaven forefend!) of the EUSSR would be that the French, as always, might use it to poke Britain in the eye. The French will be aware of how loathed he is in Britain, even among his former fans.
I think, on the subject of Boris, who I do not particularly care for, although I can see his appeal, if he replaced Cameron tomorrow, the Tories would storm to victory.
I do not discount Cameron being replaced before the election. Just a vague thought.
Posted by Verity at October 5, 2009 10:49 PM
Please, people -- get behind the only alternative that makes sense: Barack Obama as the very first President of Europe.
It makes sense on so many levels. The man does not even like America. He has a tremendous desire to make history. It would be the ultimate Euro-putdown of the US to sign the sitting President away for the new team. O can read French off the teleprompter as well as English. And his wife will keep the English tabloids in material for ever.
You know it makes sense. Now make it happen!
Posted by Alice at October 6, 2009 12:53 AM
Oh, they can have him if they are stupid enough to want him.
Posted by Alisa at October 6, 2009 02:40 AM
Mrs Obama is the first President's wife to dress solely in the haberdashery department. She is the first, as far as I know, president's wife to dress mainly in couch covers and curtain fabric.
Posted by Verity at October 6, 2009 03:14 AM
"Tony" Blair as "President of Europe" - good, I can not think of a better way to discredit the European Union.
Posted by Paul Marks at October 7, 2009 12:22 PM
I am much taken with Alice's suggestion of the presidency of Europe as a post-Presidential career for Barack Obama. He should be available by 2012.
Posted by Verity at October 7, 2009 06:44 PM
Be careful what you wish for guys, the Euros might dump Tony on us in return.
Posted by Alisa at October 7, 2009 10:38 PM
