Belgian Bilderberg agent named first EU President

Belgian Prime Minister is named first EU president as Brown is forced to settle for Baroness Ashton as foreign minister
(This is big because of the Bilderbergs chock hold on International finances and their relationship with directly or indirectly with the UN, the WHO and program like Agenda 21)
By Jason Groves

Last updated at 10:19 PM on 19th November 2009
The first EU president was tonight named as Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy.

Baroness Cathy Ashton, the UK's EU Trade Commissioner, was celebrating after becoming Europe's first foreign minister.
She got the post after being endorsed by Gordon Brown.
Mr Brown said tonight Baroness Ashton would also hold the vice-presidency of the European Commission.

He said the appointment would reaffirm Britain's influence in Europe.

'It shows that Britain is at the heart of Europe and it shows that we are leading the way in extending women's representation in the way we have done,' he said.

Congratulations all-round: Baroness Cathy Ashton (right) and Belgium's Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy celebrate with a kiss after being named Europe's first foreign minister and first EU president respectively Say cheese: The winners Ashton (far right) and Van Rompuy (far left) are joined by Sweden's Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt (centre left) and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso for an EU 'family photo'
The Prime Minister said he still felt that Tony Blair - whom he backed for the presidency - would have been 'excellent'.
But he added: 'As the week went by it became clear that the EPP (the centre-right grouping in the European Parliament) wanted to have one of their own members as president of the council.'
The appointments came two hours after Tony Blair was officially out of the running for the presidency when Mr Brown switched his support to Lady Ashton.

Downing Street emphasised that Mr Brown only dropped his insistence on Mr Blair for the role of President of the European Council after arriving for the summit tonight to find support amongst his colleagues rapidly fading.

The situation became clear at a pre-summit meeting of EU Socialist leaders, including the Prime Minister.

Gordon Brown: 'It shows that Britain is at the heart of Europe'
Top job: German Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulates Ashton as Van Rompuy and Reinfeldt look on 'That being the case, Mr Brown took the initiative to ensure that the High Representative role will go to a UK person - someone who is already in the Commission, someone who is a woman - Cathy Ashton,' a Downing Street spokesman said.

Other Socialist leaders - who had been struggling to agree on a centre-left candidate to submit for either of the jobs available, swiftly agreed.

The surprise mustering of support for an outsider was seen as a mixture of pragmatism from Mr Brown coupled with enthusiasm from European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso.

The only person at tonight's talks over dinner apart from EU leaders themselves, Mr Barroso wants to increase the number of women in his Commission team.

And the role of EU 'High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security' takes the rank of Commission vice-president - one of Mr Barroso's deputies.

He has been impressed by Lady Ashton's performance since she took over as EU trade commissioner from Lord Mandelson almost exactly a year ago.

Winners are grinners: Sarkozy shares a laugh with Van Rompuy whom he backed to the detriment of former British prime minister Tony Blair All smiles: Ashton with her congratulatory flowers and Barroso address the press after the announcement
But few believed she was a serious candidate.

Lady Ashton, 52, is a former leader of the House of Lords who was promoted to that role by Mr Brown in his first reshuffle.

She took over as British commissioner in Brussels when Lord Mandelson rejoined Mr Brown's Cabinet in London.

With Mr Blair out of the way, although he never declared himself to be a candidate, the odds on Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy getting the EU presidency role were instantly reinforced.

Both France and Germany had thrown their weight behind him.
Side-by-side: French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, pictured in Brussels today, both backed Mr Van Rompuy. Although he lacks any of the charisma or international recognition of Mr Blair, that is a big plus in many capitals who do not want someone grandstanding around the globe on the EU's behalf.

Before the summit started, EU diplomats said the ill-defined role of President would be 'shaped by the personality of the person who takes the job'.

In the absence of Mr Blair, the role took on a more managerial slant - managing EU summits, co-operating with the Commission and, from time to time, representing the EU on the world stage.
Tony Blair was ruled out of the running for the EU presidency when Gordon Brown switched his support to Lady Ashton
But many argue that the High Representative role is the more powerful job, even though Lady Ashton will be a Commission Vice-President answerable to Mr Barroso.

The High Representative will effectively run the EU's 'embassies' around the world, with a personal staff, grace-and-favour home and all the trappings.

Lady Ashton will reign over the newly-created EU 'External Action Service', effectively a diplomatic corps co-ordinating the European Commission's existing collection of more than 120 delegations around the world, overseeing Europe's global humanitarian aid budget and massaging EU international relations.

Before tonight's decision, Britain was deadlocked with Germany over the decision.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is said not to be a fan of Mr Blair, reportedly commenting that she didn't like the idea of 'having to listen to Mr Flash all the time'.

Before tonight's decision, Britain signalled its opposition to Mr Van Rompuy, who supports the introduction of new EU taxes.
There are still no official candidates, and yet more than half a dozen politicians are said to be in the running.

Mr Brown was believed to have always had 'Plan B' if it became clear Mr Blair was out of the race.

David Miliband and Lord Mandelson both ruled themselves out of the running to be EU foreign minister.

Who is Cathy Ashton?

Baroness Ashton, 53, has been the EU's trade commissioner for the past year.

She took over from Lord Mandelson who was brought back to the UK Cabinet by Gordon Brown.

The former leader of the Lords was made a life peer in 1999.
In June 2001 she was made a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Education and Skills, taking charge of Sure Start in 2002.

Two years later she was became Parliamentary Under-Secretary in the Department of Constitutional Affairs. She was also appointed a Privy Councillor in 2006.

Baroness Ashton studied economics at London University and her early career included roles at the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and the Social Work Training Council.

She lives in St Albans with her husband of 21 years, journalist and pollster Peter Kellner. She has two children and three stepchlildren.