Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: European Constitution, European Commission, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Prime Minister/US Relations.
European Constitution
Asked for a reaction to today’s Telegraph report suggesting that our red lines on the European Constitution had been crossed, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that as he had told journalists yesterday, we were in a real negotiation. He drew their attention to the White Paper published last September which stated, "We will insist that unanimity remains for….key areas of criminal procedural law" (paragraph 66). Habeas corpus, trial by jury and the like were key areas of the criminal justice system and would not be changed. That was our bottom line. The particular route which the Constitution ultimately went down was a matter for negotiation.
European Commission
Asked if the Prime Minister had expressed a preference for whom he would like to see as the next European Commission President, the PMOS said that discussions were taking place about this matter, and no doubt would continue to do so right up until an announcement was made. Our preferences would be discussed with other Heads of Government in the EU, not out in the open.
Northern Ireland
Asked if the Prime Minister was concerned about the warning from Mitchel McLaughlin that Northern Ireland was facing a summer of discontent, the PMOS said that the Marching Season in Northern Ireland was always a sensitive time. We were hoping that community leaders on all sides would use their influence, as they had done successfully last year, to keep the streets relatively calm. We would also obviously do whatever we could to help the situation.
Iraq
Asked if the Government supported the Iraq Governing Council’s request for the Interim Authority to be given control of Iraq’s oil after the transfer of sovereignty on 30 June, the PMOS said that real sovereignty meant real sovereignty. Lakhdar Brahimi was currently examining how the Interim Authority should be structured and was due to present his report at the end of this month. The PMOS pointed out that the Coalition was already in the process of handing over ministries to the IGC. This was a trend which would accelerate as we approached 30 June.
Asked when an announcement on the deployment of troops would be made and if he could give a guarantee that it would not be just before the start of recess next Thursday, the PMOS said that as he had told journalists yesterday, a decision would be made when we were ready to make it - i.e. once all the relevant factors had been carefully considered as part of our strategic approach to Iraq and the run up to the transfer of sovereignty on 30 June. We were not expecting an announcement this week.
Prime Minister/US Relations
Asked if he was aware of comments made by the Deputy Prime Minister in his interview with the Times on Saturday reportedly criticising the Prime Minister for his closeness to President Bush, which had then been removed after appearing in the first edition, the PMOS said that he was not aware of anything other than what had appeared in the paper. The Deputy Prime Minister had dealt with these matters at the weekend. He had nothing further to add. Asked why the comments had not made it into the second edition of the paper, the PMOS said that he was not an executive of the Times newspaper. Asked if there was a danger of the Government being condemned in the long term for its relationship with the US Administration, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister’s position vis-à-vis President Bush had been oft stated. Nothing had changed. Asked if the Prime Minister was embarrassed that his deputy had reportedly been casting aspersions on his relationship with President Bush, the PMOS said that he had no intention of commenting on reported remarks which the Times itself had appeared not to follow through. Asked if he was suggesting that the quotes had never been uttered in the first place, the PMOS said that he would leave it to the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office to respond to issues relating to the Deputy Prime Minister.
Asked if the Prime Minister had been given advance notice of the comments the Chancellor had made in a speech to the Social Market Foundation last night, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister and the Chancellor spoke on a daily basis, as you would expect. It wasn’t our policy to brief on private conversations.
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