Brown dampens talk of Blair for EU post

GORDON Brown last night played down the prospect of Tony Blair assuming the presidency of the European Union, as the Tories promised a "real parliamentary battle" for a referendum on the Reform Treaty that creates the new post.

But William Hague, the shadow foreign secretary, admitted the Tories were unlikely to win their demand for a popular vote as allies of Kenneth Clarke, the former chancellor, have promised the government support on the issue.

The Prime Minister and Jim Murphy, the Europe minister, insisted that filling the job was an issue for the future. French president Nicolas Sarkozy earlier said Mr Blair would be a "good choice" for the new job.

Mr Brown said: "Tony Blair would be a great candidate for any significant international job, but there has been no discussion on this, and it is premature to have any discussion because this treaty has still got to be ratified."

A spokesman for the former prime minister said Mr Blair was "focusing on his current role in the Middle East".

The post of president of the European Council would replace the system of six-month rotating EU presidencies as part of the new treaty, which the Tories claim is the old EU Constitution resurrected.

The job, with a reported salary of 200,000, would have a fixed term and would involve chairing EU meetings with the aim of creating a more efficient decision-making process.

Mr Hague said the treaty was the constitution "in disguise" and the British people should be given a vote on it.

But he admitted yesterday that with both of the Lib Dem leadership candidates, Nick Clegg and Chris Huhne, opposed to a referendum and Labour MPs in favour of one under pressure to back down, the chances of success at Westminster were limited.