Blairite says MPs should pick ‘president of Europe’

The UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, would like to create a powerful new head of the European Council to give the European Union stronger political leadership and a public face. Gisela Stuart, a UK Labour MP, has suggested that national Members of Parliament and Members of the European Parliament could help to appoint the new president, enhancing the democratic legitimacy of the post. Ms Stuart is Chair of the Convention on the Future of Europe's working party on enhancing the role of national parliaments in EU affairs.