BLAIR AS EU PRESIDENT: DIVISIVE AND DAMAGING

SNP MEP COMMENTS ON REMARKS BY KINNOCK

SNP MEP and party president Ian Hudghton has warned that, by putting Tony Blair forward for the job of European President, the UK Government risked ‘dividing and damaging’ the EU institutions.

Commenting, Mr Hudghton said:

"If Mrs Kinnock's comments were accurate, then the UK Government is, in my view, making a huge mistake by nominating Tony Blair for this job.

"He will never be able to escape his reputation as a warmonger, nor his role in the illegal invasion of Iraq. That alone should disqualify him from a position like this, which, if created, needs to be occupied by a unifying figure. Putting forward Tony Blair for this job would be divisive and damaging for the EU institutions.

"As this post has not actually been created yet, it's more than a little presumptuous for Mrs Kinnock to be making these remarks. The SNP is opposed to the Lisbon Treaty and want the Scottish people to get a chance to have their say in a referendum.

"It is unacceptable for the UK Government to push this treaty and its reforms forward without a referendum and then start handing out jobs before it's been approved in other EU countries.

"This was a shambolic announcement of a bad decision and reflects very badly on both Mrs Kinnock and the Prime Minister himself."