Blair and Hague Clash Over European Policy

Strategic Insights -

The bitter clash between William Hague and Prime Minister Tony Blair over European policy unfolded in the House of Commons yesterday, with Hague warning of a federal superstate and Blair insisting that Britain's participation in the EU would allow it to make a "real impact" in international talks. Blair rejected Hague's assertion that Germany's foreign minister, Joschka Fischer, spoke for the rest of Europe when he called for an elected EU president, and claimed that a European superpower would be a unique union of nation-states exercising more power together than they could alone.

Key Takeaways:

  • William Hague clashed with Tony Blair over European policy, warning of a federal superstate and the end of Britain's independence.
  • Blair insisted that Britain's participation in the EU would allow it to make a "real impact" in international talks, citing trade negotiations as an example of European power.
  • Blair rejected Hague's assertion that Germany's foreign minister, Joschka Fischer, spoke for the rest of Europe when he called for an elected EU president.
  • Blair claimed that a European superpower would be a unique union of nation-states exercising more power together than they could alone.
  • Hague said that Blair's policy would lead to "the end of Britain's independence" and was "a disaster in the making".
  • Blair admitted that he personally insisted the Dome project should proceed, but claimed that funding and financial management were agreed under the Tories.

Statistics:

  • No statistics mentioned in the source material.

Sources:

  • The Times (exact date not provided)
  • The Daily Telegraph (exact date not provided)
  • BBC News (exact date not provided)