Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has shocked European leaders by refusing the nomination of EU President.
Blair who, behind-the-scenes has been lobbying hard for the role, is said to have made the U-turn after talks with aides.
Blair was said to be horrified that the Foreign Secretary David Milliband was publicly supporting him.
A source remarked: "Tony's realised that the job can't be all that if Milliband supports it. David's desperate for a job but there's no way Tony's ever working with him again. That boy gave him the creeps."
A formal statement however was more sanguine: "Mr Blair is keen to continue his lucrative work within the Middle East and the US. Europe will of course continue to be a top priority."
No doubt Mrs Blair will be pleased at this turn of events. It is said that the Liverpudlian lawyer 'hardly sees' her husband and that, on intimate matters, it's now Christmas and birthdays, if she's lucky.
Milliband, on hearing the news, was rumoured to be bitterly disappointed. Publicly he said however: "This is fantastic news. I wasn't looking for a new job anyway. I'm thrilled to be part of Gordon Brown's government. I find him extremely sane."
