All The Way, Jose
‘PORTUGAL wins! Well, nearly wins – the appointment of Jose Manuel Durao Barroso as the new president of the European Commission has yet to be formalised, ratified, sanctioned, vetoed and all those other things European politicians and their policies are subject to.
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| ‘John Terry pushed me into it’ |
But he is the favourite to take up the seat to be vacated by Roman Prodi, a man less recognisable to the British than a Swiss referee and dear Ernst Strasser, Austrias Federal Minister of the Interior.
Mindful of the invisibility of Signor Prodi, the Times briefly introduces his would-be successor, the current Portuguese Prime Minister.
Theres even an accompanying wallet-sized, cut-out-and-keep photo of the man for all the likely future presidents UK-based citizens to whip out whenever they want to remind themselves what their new leader looks like.
And best get used to his face quickly, since the man forwarded for the top spot by Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern will be officially nominated tomorrow, barring any hitch.
And barring the likes of Robert Kilroy-Silk.
No, Kilroy will never be president of anything other than the Tanning Society and the Kilroy Fan Club, but he and his UKIP cohorts are planning to scupper Barrosos election and just about anything else pan-European in nature.
And they have they means to do it. The Times introduces another player in the European political arena. Step forward and rattle your change, Paul Sykes.
A keen supporter of the UKIP, Yorkshireman Sykes has been charged with expanding the UKIPs presence and leading future campaigns.
And hes got more than change to flash around, since hes worth around £500m. Hes got the means to do some damage to the European Union.
Ill spend every penny I have, says Sykes, a former Tory supporter. To me, its no good creating wealth to leave to your child if youre not going to leave them with a self-governing democracy.
Durao Barroso – and Mr Sykes four children – will be surely delighted to hear that.’
Posted: 28th, June 2004 | In: Broadsheets Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
