'Blair sees a fresh political legacy'

A daunting challenge awaits the incoming president of the union

Editorial, June 3
"The European 'constitution', that peculiar mixture of vanity and vacuity, is dead ... There is now a huge opportunity, as Britain assumes the EU presidency, to argue for a wider, freer Europe. The French non has increased British influence, even though it will also harden the French position against 'Anglo-Saxon' liberalisation. In Germany, a change of leadership looks likely in September that could weaken the French still further ...

"What kind of Europe should Tony Blair fight for? ... There is a compelling case to make for a Europe that can compete economically with China and India, a Europe that gets on with completing the momentous task of creating a genuine single market in goods, services and capital. That means focusing on the Lisbon agenda rather than distracting itself with forays into areas as diverse as foreign policy and criminal justice ... At home, there is no point in holding a British referendum on a dead treaty. Once the government has cancelled the referendum it must also pledge that it will not bring in the constitution by the back door, but rather forge a new vision for what Europe could be: larger, freer, and hence stronger. In this case, less really can be more."

Alf Young
Herald, Scotland, June 3
"Deprived of a defining treaty referendum he had scant chance of winning, Mr Blair now sees a fresh political legacy in the making, tantalisingly within reach. He leads a government whose economy has significantly outperformed the eurozone in recent years. He believes that is down to Britain casting off its old statist solutions and embracing liberal free-market principles ...

"But Mr Blair had better play his hand with great care. His prescription runs completely against the grain of those who have spoken so loudly in France and Holland this week ... Even Nicolas Sarkozy, the rising star of French politics, now recalled to office by President Jacques Chirac, knows how to cloak his reformist message in a sugar coating ... If Mr Blair sees this as his chance to push the old core of the EU faster down the path to economic reform, he would be well advised to learn from the wiles of Mr Sarkozy and opt for stealth. This is no time for an evangelising Mr Blair to make matters worse."

Bill Jamieson
Scotsman, June 3
"It is not an all-controlling, all-regulating constitution and grandstanding politicians that the people of Europe want. It is jobs, opportunity and security. Growth is the key to these. Brussels regulation has done much to strangle it. But in the turmoil that now lies ahead, there is also opportunity.

"Politicians are locked in a massive blame-game that will run up to and include the European Council meeting later this month. But markets, through pressure on the currency, will force the eurozone to recognise the absolute imperative of flexibility and reform. The stakes are high. If this opportunity is missed, then Europe really will be facing a crisis - and one of entirely its own making. That would indeed be the hard way, and one that would make this week's headlines seem hollow by comparison."

Martin Wolf
Financial Times, June 3
"Does this ... end the peculiarly vexed British debate about its place within the EU? The immediate answer to this is yes and no. Yes, the UK is no longer the only significant obstacle to the development of the EU. But no, the relationship with the EU is not going to become all that easy. Instead of moving in a direction that the majority of the EU dislikes, the EU is likely to be paralysed instead ...

"Embrace diversity and decentralisation. That is the conclusion to be drawn from these results. The countries of Europe are different ... The EU will not be a France writ large. It will be stuck where it is, instead. The UK will, however, prefer an EU that stays where it is to one moving in its previous direction. The French (and Dutch) have answered the UK's European question: vive la France !"

Daily Mail
Editorial, June 3
"The consistent theme [in the EU's reaction to the referendums] has been contempt for the voters. And, sadly, there seems little prospect of improvement when Mr Blair takes over the EU presidency ... Before the French referendum, he was adamant that the constitution is crucial to Britain and Europe. Now he lets it be known that he wants to reform the EU by opening it up to free-market competition ...

"Far from achieving reforms, he will have his work cut out to prevent [France and Germany] imposing parts of the constitution by the back door."

Daily Mirror
Editorial, June 3
"Europhobes in this country are already dancing on the constitution's grave, pathetically whopping with delight. But we suspect the anti-Europeans will very shortly wake up with the mother of all hangovers.

"Not because the EU will function less efficiently in the absence of the treaty. That's what the Europhobes want. They'll be upset when it dawns on them there'll be no poll here next spring because there is nothing left to vote about. That means all hope is gone of giving Mr Blair a bloody nose over it in 2006. Pro-Europeans will laugh last and laugh longest."