Kingmaker

How does Tony do it? He removed Europe as a damaging electoral issue by gambling on a 2006 constitutional referendum. Whether by luck or judgement, events now show this was the right decision as the referendum is now dead. However, what's good for Tony isn't good for the country. It prevents the UK from having a genuine say on the future direction of the European Union, once again we have to "trust" our political leaders to make the right decision for us when Europe has not been explicitly tested by the UK electorate since 1975. It also complicates Gordon's presumed accession of power. Tony would have been seriously weakened following a massive 'No' vote in the UK, just as Chirac has been further weakened in France giving Gordon the perfect excuse to move into No 10. If anything, Tony could now emerge even stronger as "Kingmaker" following Britain's six month EU presidency starting in June.