Elected EU president: Blair wants job says Rees-Mogg

[Chippiewill]

Conservative backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg claimed Tony Blair was pushing the idea of a directly elected EU president as he wanted the job and was not earning enough money in his other roles.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20139215

I find this pretty funny, maybe he would be better than Mr Rompuy but I can't imagine him being all that much better.

[-:Undertaker:-]

A loathed Blair leading a loathed EU, sounds like a perfect fit to me.

[Grig]

This story has been going on for years even before Rompuy got it. Although he got it to balance it out, otherwise two key positions would have been headed by Brits, which would make some other members unhappy.

[GommeInc]

Is there an annoying sod shop somewhere they find these politicians? A Brit could be nice a President, not that there is any need for one, but they go to the bargain bins of the politicians aisle and dig deep to the bottom for the people no-one like or want.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Is there an annoying sod shop somewhere they find these politicians? A Brit could be nice a President, not that there is any need for one, but they go to the bargain bins of the politicians aisle and dig deep to the bottom for the people no-one like or want.

That is one (if not the main) reason why the EU is so popular with the political class. Once disgraced and unelectable in their national countries, they can simply pop along with family members aboard the unelected EU gravy train; just think of Mandelson, Kinnock, Patten, Ashton and others from other countries too (for example, the former EU Commissioner for fraud was.... under investigation for fraud!).

As the late George Carlin put it, it's one big club and you're not in it.

[Grig]

That is one (if not the main) reason why the EU is so popular with the political class. Once disgraced and unelectable in their national countries, they can simply pop along with family members aboard the unelected EU gravy train; just think of Mandelson, Kinnock, Patten, Ashton and others from other countries too (for example, the former EU Commissioner for fraud was.... under investigation for fraud!).

As the late George Carlin put it, it's one big club and you're not in it.

Are you talking about Chris Patten here?

[-:Undertaker:-]

Are you talking about Chris Patten here?

Indeed.

He was part of the Tory pro-Maastricht grouping which effectively tore apart the Major Ministry in the 1990s.

[Grig]

Indeed.

He was part of the Tory pro-Maastricht grouping which effectively tore apart the Major Ministry in the 1990s.

But I've got to respect the man. He was an excellent politician as governor of Hong Kong and did a fine job there. Hong Kong's best days politically and economically were under him.