Michael Portillo in Sunday Times points out "Tony Blair, President of Europe" - the idea which we thought long dead when Blair failed to bring Britain into the euro, has been revived by President Sarkozy.
When we read that euro-leaders are trying to reintroduce the idea of a European constitution, we don't have to think very hard to realise why Tony Blair might be in favour. The new president, if that role is created at next week's euro-summit, will have a huge salary and a suitable official residence.
The constitution was thought to have received its death-blow when the sensible burghers of France and Holland rejected it in their referenda, but led by Angela Merkel the leaders are trying to bring it back through the back door in the form of "a treaty". I suppose in one way this is a good thing. At least we can take a little satisfaction from the fact that it's not just in Britain that politicians take bugger-all notice of what the electorate want, but carry on regardless.
Tony Blair has been whining lately about the way he is treated by the press. He describes them as "feral beasts", and would like them controlled and subdued.
It's quite true, of course, that the press are frequently unpleasant, biased, alarmist, hysterical and lacking all sense of proportion. But faced as we are with dishonest and untrustworthy politicians, unprecedented levels of sleaze and corruption among the great and good, a staggering incompetence among our civil servants and national institutions, an environmental lobby that is completely out of control, and local government in the hands of the politically-correct elf'n'safety fascists, the one thing we do not need is any restrictions on the freedom of the press.
The old notion of the "three estates" recognised the priesthood, the aristocracy and the commons as the powers that propelled the country. Later this became the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. Faced with the failure of all six to protect our liberties in the 21st Century, we should be thankful that the Fourth Estate, the press, is as feral, irresponsible and vicious as ever. Without them we'd sink without trace, suffocated in our prams by the nanny state.
The GOS says: I'd like to give my official backing to the campaign to have Jeremy Clarkson for Prime Minister. A petition to this effect has already reached over 11,000 signatures. You can sign it here.
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