Presidential Wordplay

On and on rumbles the argument over the EU President, what the role is, what the appointee would be expected to do, and of course who is in the running. The heat was turned up overnight when the Guardian reported that Pa Broon had asked two of his most senior civil servants to take soundings and maybe even do a little gentle lobbying – for Tony Blair, of course.

Team Brown has now denied that the Guardian report is true, but then, they would say that, wouldn’t they? Meanwhile, Young Dave isn’t happy at all about the idea of a Blair presidency, although he stopped short of echoing William ‘Ague, who said that the Tories would view Blair as Prez as a “hostile act”. Cameron says that a President is an emblem of statehood, which suggests he may have forgotten that the UK is a nation state, and doesn’t have one.

Dave says that the position should be more “chairmanic”. What that? The post, with no formal powers – something I touched upon the other day – looks more of a chairman role in any case. He is, though, unequivocally against Blair getting it, though he’s not mentioning referenda, or digging up “Shagger” Major’s idea of non cooperation (probably as well).

In the meantime, some concern is being raised about the effect of the upcoming Chilcot enquiry on Blair’s future. But this suggests that Sir John will manage something that all the other enquiries have not: getting something to stick to the proverbial Teflon.