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| Brown welcomes British EU role | Brown welcomes British EU role |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown has welcomed the decision to appoint Labour peer Baroness Ashton as the EU's high representative on foreign affairs and security. | Gordon Brown has welcomed the decision to appoint Labour peer Baroness Ashton as the EU's high representative on foreign affairs and security. |
| The PM said the move gave Britain "a powerful voice in Europe", while the Lib Dems agreed it was "good news". | The PM said the move gave Britain "a powerful voice in Europe", while the Lib Dems agreed it was "good news". |
| The Tories said they would work with Baroness Ashton and the new EU president, Belgian Herman van Rompuy, "in the British national interest". | The Tories said they would work with Baroness Ashton and the new EU president, Belgian Herman van Rompuy, "in the British national interest". |
| Critics said the pair were relative unknowns with little political clout. | Critics said the pair were relative unknowns with little political clout. |
| Baroness Ashton was a government minister for eight years, latterly as leader of the House of Lords, before being chosen to replace Lord Mandelson as EU Trade Commissioner in 2008. | Baroness Ashton was a government minister for eight years, latterly as leader of the House of Lords, before being chosen to replace Lord Mandelson as EU Trade Commissioner in 2008. |
| She said she was "slightly surprised but... deeply privileged" to be given the role. | She said she was "slightly surprised but... deeply privileged" to be given the role. |
| "I will make sure I represent our values across the world, and I will endeavour to do in my own way the best that I can," she said. | "I will make sure I represent our values across the world, and I will endeavour to do in my own way the best that I can," she said. |
| Foreign Secretary David Miliband had been heavily linked to the role, created under the terms of the Lisbon Treaty, but said he wanted to stay in British politics. | Foreign Secretary David Miliband had been heavily linked to the role, created under the terms of the Lisbon Treaty, but said he wanted to stay in British politics. |
| 'Unique role' | 'Unique role' |
| Mr Brown backed Baroness Ashton for the role after accepting Tony Blair could not become European Council president. | Mr Brown backed Baroness Ashton for the role after accepting Tony Blair could not become European Council president. |
| It is good news for Europe that a British woman is in such an important post. Ed Davey, Lib Dems href="/2/hi/uk_news/8369759.stm">Papers unite against EU president class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8369392.stm">Profile: Baroness Ashton Send us your comments | |
| He told journalists he hoped the appointment would be "welcomed" in the UK and denied she lacked the clout to do the job. | He told journalists he hoped the appointment would be "welcomed" in the UK and denied she lacked the clout to do the job. |
| "In this role, Cathy Ashton will have a unique role over the next five years in shaping the global Europe of the future," he said. | "In this role, Cathy Ashton will have a unique role over the next five years in shaping the global Europe of the future," he said. |
| Mr Brown did admit that he still believed Mr Blair would have been "excellent" in the president's role. | Mr Brown did admit that he still believed Mr Blair would have been "excellent" in the president's role. |
| The Conservatives, on the other hand, expressed satisfaction that the lower-profile Belgian, Mr van Rompuy, had been appointed instead. | The Conservatives, on the other hand, expressed satisfaction that the lower-profile Belgian, Mr van Rompuy, had been appointed instead. |
| Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said: "I am very pleased that those of us across Europe who said that the president should be a chairman, not a chief, have won the argument." | Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said: "I am very pleased that those of us across Europe who said that the president should be a chairman, not a chief, have won the argument." |
| Mr Hague congratulated Baroness Ashton on her new job, although the Conservative Party's leader in the European Parliament, Timothy Kirkhope, seemed less impressed. | Mr Hague congratulated Baroness Ashton on her new job, although the Conservative Party's leader in the European Parliament, Timothy Kirkhope, seemed less impressed. |
| "We now have someone who has never faced the British electorate in a post created by a treaty that also never faced the British electorate," he said. | "We now have someone who has never faced the British electorate in a post created by a treaty that also never faced the British electorate," he said. |
| The former leader of UKIP, the MEP Nigel Farage, went further, branding the EU decision "disgraceful". | The former leader of UKIP, the MEP Nigel Farage, went further, branding the EU decision "disgraceful". |
| "We've got the appointment of two political pygmies," he said. "In terms of a global voice, the European Union will now be much derided by the rest of the world." | "We've got the appointment of two political pygmies," he said. "In terms of a global voice, the European Union will now be much derided by the rest of the world." |
| Mr Van Rompuy is an avid blogger | Mr Van Rompuy is an avid blogger |
| He added: "Baroness Ashton is ideal for the role. She has never had a proper job and never been elected to public office." | He added: "Baroness Ashton is ideal for the role. She has never had a proper job and never been elected to public office." |
| 'Stitch-up' | 'Stitch-up' |
| The Lib Dems, however, welcomed the appointments, saying they would "give lie to the scaremongering of the anti-Europeans over the Lisbon Treaty". | The Lib Dems, however, welcomed the appointments, saying they would "give lie to the scaremongering of the anti-Europeans over the Lisbon Treaty". |
| "With low-profile appointees, no-one can take seriously any longer the Eurosceptic deception that these positions would challenge the supremacy of nation states acting together when they agree," foreign affairs spokesman Ed Davey said. | "With low-profile appointees, no-one can take seriously any longer the Eurosceptic deception that these positions would challenge the supremacy of nation states acting together when they agree," foreign affairs spokesman Ed Davey said. |
| "European leaders have shown great sense in choosing such high calibre people to chair their meetings and it is good news for Europe that a British woman is in such an important post." | "European leaders have shown great sense in choosing such high calibre people to chair their meetings and it is good news for Europe that a British woman is in such an important post." |
| Reactions in Friday's UK newspapers ranged from surprise to anger. | Reactions in Friday's UK newspapers ranged from surprise to anger. |
| The Daily Mail said there had been a "great EU stitch-up", while the Guardian, under the same headline, remarked that Baroness Ashton was "as unelected as she is obscure". | The Daily Mail said there had been a "great EU stitch-up", while the Guardian, under the same headline, remarked that Baroness Ashton was "as unelected as she is obscure". |
| James Kirkup, writing in the Daily Telegraph, said her appointment would be "rightly mocked" but was still an "unlikely coup" for Mr Brown on the European stage. | James Kirkup, writing in the Daily Telegraph, said her appointment would be "rightly mocked" but was still an "unlikely coup" for Mr Brown on the European stage. |