Socialists accuse Blair of ‘supping with the Devil’ after Rome talks

Date: 07/03/02

By Martin Banks

EUROPEAN Socialists will hold talks with UK Prime Minister Tony Blair at next week's Barcelona summit in order to express their dismay over his apparent attempts to forge a strong relationship with Italy's conservative premier Silvio Berlusconi.

Enrique Barón Crespo, leader of the European Parliament's 179 socialist MEPs, requested the meeting after protests from his group about Blair's apparent 'cosying up' to Berlusconi.

A Socialist group insider told European Voice: 'Members want to hear an explanation from Blair on what they see as the political equivalent of supping with the Devil.

'Italian members of the group were particularly unhappy to see Blair standing next to Berlusconi when he gave a vociferous anti-trade union speech.'

Eryl McNally, a British MEP, admitted: 'There is disquiet among members. Berlusconi seized the opportunity (the meeting with Blair) to portray it as a meeting of minds.'

But McNally added: 'I know Tony Blair well enough to know he has nothing in common with Berlusconi.'

• In a recent opinion poll more than two-thirds (69) of Italian people said Berlusconi is doing a good job as prime minister.

European Socialists are to hold talks with UK Prime Minister Tony Blair at the forthcoming Barcelona summit in order to express their dismay over his apparent attempts to forge a strong relationship with Italy's conservative premier Silvio Berlusconi.