The world changes, but history repeats itself. No, we’re not talking about how, despite having far less money than before, we at Biteback continue to see the weekend as giving us more time to shop, we’re actually talking about a trend that’s evolved across the face of political history. When our Managing Editor told us that there was a bit in this book about Nicolas Sarkozy and Gordon Brown coming to verbal blows over who to support for the positions at the European Commission we were shocked. What? You mean there’s been a disagreement between the English and the French? That’s unusual.
This particular part of Brown At 10 not only caught the eye of our staff, but also the Mail on Sunday, who yesterday included sections from the book in an article entitled ‘!*x@ the Brits! They want the top job for Blair, but they won’t get it’. In their new book, Anthony Seldon and Guy Lodge discover - thanks to unrivalled access to many of those at the centre of Brown’s government – what went on behind the scenes of smiling faces and well shaken hands.
As the Mail on Sunday reports:
Mr Sarkozy agreed to support Mr Blair’s candidacy [for President], but in return wanted Mr Brown to agree that the post of EU Commissioner for Internal Markets and City Affairs should go to France. Mr Brown bluntly refused... Dr Seldon says that Mr Brown became ‘obsessed’ with getting the trade post for the UK to stop it going to France, while using Mr Blair’s candidacy as a bargaining chip. By dithering, he got neither.
Well, there you go Tony, blame Gordon.
Order the revelatory Brown At 10 here for £20.