His rejection of providing UK voters with the democratic right to vote for or against the new EU was pretty sad. The ruling class of Europe continues to ignore any concerns that voters have with the ever-expanding EU, probably knowing that voters will show politicians what they think of the dog with fleas. That's bad enough but now Gordon Brown is preparing to ditch one of the few positive programs started by Blair. This leaked report says a lot about the new PM.
Leaked documents seen by the Guardian show that Gordon Brown will be advised today that the target Tony Blair signed up to this year for 20% of all European energy to come from renewable sources by 2020 is expensive and faces "severe practical difficulties".
According to the papers, John Hutton, the secretary of state for business, will tell Mr Brown that Britain should work with Poland and other governments sceptical about climate change to "help persuade" German chancellor Angela Merkel and others to set lower renewable targets, before binding commitments are framed in December.
It admits that allowing member states to fall short of their renewable targets will be "very hard to negotiate ... and will be very controversial". "The commission, some member states and the European parliament will not want the target to be diluted, though others may be allies for a change," says a draft copy of Mr Hutton's Energy Policy Presentation to the Prime Minister, marked "restricted - policy".
