Once David Miliband had ruled himself out of the running to become the EU’s first foreign minister (high representative), the UK chances of securing one of the top EU jobs became an uphill struggle. Tony Blair’s candidacy to become the president of the council had met more opposition than expected.
Cathy Ashton, trade commissioner for only a year, had won much praise. She wowed the parliament. The skills she had honed in steering the Lisbon Treaty through the House of Lords were put to good effect in diffusing brewing trade storms and giving new impetus to the stalled Doha talks. Observers noted that she has a rare ability to make people feel good, that in reaching a deal they are being part of a success story and not the victims of a con trick.
The Socialists and Democrats group (S & D) in the European parliament and the UK Labour MEPs gave her their support to be re nominated to the commission, but there were rumours that others in London wanted her place in Brussels and were plotting to block her.
It did not look promising for her, but within days if not hours the situation had changed and she was in the running to be the high representative and it was the ‘women wot won it’. The Socialists had resolved to campaign for the high representative post but had struggled to find a candidate. At a succession of meetings MEPs deplored the lack of women being put forward to the commission and Cathy Ashton’s name began to be mentioned as a possible candidate.
The S & Ds leaders, including our Labour’s leader in the parliament, Glenis Willmott MEP met the night before the council meeting. Woman after woman attacked a process that appears to hand over to men all four top EU posts (commission president, parliament president, council president, high representative). Socialist women said they had the support of sisters from other parties and warned of the danger that ‘a women free’ commission would be rejected by the parliament. Cathy Ashton’s name was mentioned again and received support from many of the speakers including some men, and S & D leader Martin Schultz MEP.
The received wisdom in Brussels was still that a deal was going to be difficult. The Swedish presidency was so pessimistic that they had laid on breakfast for the 27 leaders who were expected to talk through the night to little success.
Meanwhile, at a meeting of Socialist party leaders and prime ministers, including Gordon Brown, a consensus emerged and Cathy Ashton was chosen as their candidate for the post of high representative. Within two hours the deal was sealed and the Belgian Von Rompuy was nominated as council president and Catherine Ashton the first high representative.
Instead of congratulating ourselves for having secured such an important position, the British media, including the Guardian, have done their best to try to turn this victory into a dismal failure.
Cathy Ashton formally begins her new post next week. She has said she is not ‘an ego on legs’, but she is a very clever listener, a patient negotiator and a tough cookie when needed. She will do very well and her critics will be eating humble pie before long. Europe is all the better for her appointment.