Douglas Carswell's Blog

Why promote the man behind Darling's bailout deal?

If ministers did all they could to prevent Alistair Darling signing Britain up to the bailout mechanism in the dying days of the last government, why promote one of the key negotiators behind the deal?

Jon Cunliffe, Gordon Brown’s chief EU deal-maker, is set to be appointed Britain’s next ambassador to the EU – according to leaks and briefings in the press. 

If we really didn't like the deal over the bailouts concluded at the ECOFIN meeting on May 9th - 10th last year, why reward one of those behind it with the top job in  Brussels?  

Today David Cameron hinted he might block the appointment of Gordon Brown to a swanky new job with the IMF. By the same logic, surely we should not be promoting anyone involved in a deal that saw every household in Britain bounced into underwriting £ billion bailouts for the Eurozone?

At the very least, there must be a Commons confirmation hearing before any appointment is made. If those permanent officials who cut deals with Brussels in our name know that one day they will have to answer directly to the people’s tribunes for their jobs, they might begin to negotiate in the national interest.  And minister might grow to be more than salesmen for what the mandarins decide.

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