David Cameron ‘Would Not Oppose’ Blair Becoming First President of the EU 'David Cameron will give Tony Blair a free run if he tries to become the EU’s first president, The Timeshas learnt. The Conservative leader has told senior colleagues that they should do nothing to oppose a Blair candidacy if the Lisbon treaty, which creates the role, is ratified later this year. EU heads of government could choose their first president as early as December if the Irish vote “yes” in an October referendum and the other remaining countries yet to ratify then sign up. Mr Blair, now a Middle East envoy, has avoided openly promoting himself before the selection but is known to be interested in representing the EU on the world stage. The issue is awkward for Mr Cameron, who has repeatedly refused to answer questions about a Blair candidacy on the ground that the Tories oppose the treaty that creates the post.' Obama to Beef up Federal Reserve Supremacy 'US President Barack Obama is to introduce plans meant to invigorate the central banking system due to 'very dangerous' conditions created in economy. Following weeks of discussions between Washington legislators and American industrialists and bankers, the US administration has announced the formation of a new financial regulations bill drafted to renew the Federal Reserve's oversight of financial transactions nationwide.' Dutch Supermarkets Set to Refuse Cash 'Dutch supermarkets are hoping to phase out the use of cash by 2014, the Financieele Dagblad reports on Thursday, quoting the retail board CBL. The aim of the ban on cash is to make supermarkets less vulnerable to armed robberies, the paper says.' Outcry Over Government's Decision to Hold Iraq War Inquiry in Secret 'Gordon Brown faced accusations of a fix and an “Establishment stitch-up” yesterday after ruling that the long-awaited Iraq war inquiry would be in secret and not report until after the general election. The Prime Minister came under attack from MPs on all sides, as well as from families of troops killed in the conflict, after insisting that hearings could not be held in public for reasons of national security. He also surprised MPs by saying that the inquiry, by a committee of privy counsellors headed by a former Whitehall mandarin, would not seek to apportion blame. Critics said that the committee did not have enough military or political experience.'
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
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