Brussels: Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Thursday dropped Tony Blair as his candidate for the job of European Union president, a Downing Street spokesman said.
Brown was one of eight socialist heads of government meeting to agree a common position on candidates for two new EU jobs ahead of a full Brussels summit, and the spokesman said the premier realised Blair would not get the required backing during their talks.
"When it became clear that because of the various political considerations and varying views among the rest of the members (on Blair), then the prime minister made the forceful step of proposing Catherine Ashton for the high representative's position," the second key role, the spokesman said.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, November 20, 2009, 00:29