Blair 'comfortable' with Chirac's EU speech

President Chirac's speech was the climax of his German visit

A Downing Street spokesman has given a relaxed response to French President Jacques Chirac's call for a "two-speed" Europe.

In a speech to the German Parliament, Mr Chirac suggested that countries in favour of further European integration should form a "pioneer group" to press ahead with reform, even if it meant leaving other countries behind.

A spokesman for Mr Blair said the prime minister felt "comfortable" with the remarks, and, far from being isolated by the two-tier vision, was playing a part in the the debate.

But shadow foreign secretary Francis Maude said Mr Chirac's remarks showed that, far from setting the agenda in Europe, Mr Blair was being "pushed to the fringes".

'Comfortable'

Mr Blair is neither setting the agenda nor battling for Britain, but is instead ... being pushed to the fringes in Europe.

Francis Maude

"We are comfortable about the debate over further co-operation. There is no desire to create a first and second league of European nations," Mr Blair's spokesman said.

"I think what he (Mr Chirac) has been saying is the importance of addressing the issue of reinforced co-operation ... something the prime minister feels perfectly comfortable about addressing.

"We are completely comfortable with the debate about the future of Europe ... and when we are talking about groups of states being able to go ahead together in co-operating in particular areas - that already happens."

Chirac and Schroeder: united in their drive for further EU integration

He pointed out that there were already ways in which the European Union worked on a two-tier model in which some countries opted in and some opted out - like the single currency and the Schengen agreement on border controls.

The Tories say that Mr Chirac's speech is the clearest indication yet of the desire of France and Germany to set up a European "superstate".

Tory spokesman Francis Maude said it "gives the lie to Tony Blair's claims that Britain is winning the arguments over the EU".

"It is clear that Mr Blair is neither setting the agenda nor battling for Britain, but is instead trailing in the wake of others. Mr Blair is being pushed to the fringes in Europe.

We are comfortable about the debate over further co-operation. There is no desire to create a first and second league of European nations

Prime Minister's Spokesman

"Other European leaders understand that it is their democratic duty to debate the future of the EU, but Mr Blair is running scared from the issue," he said.

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy agreed that the speech showed that Britain was being left on the sidelines "whilst France and Germany continue to take the lead."

Accusing Tony Blair of "prevarication", he said Britain was becoming increasingly irrelevant.

"New Labour initially talked a good game on Europe, but for the last couple of years their lack of leadership has given us a European policy of nothing more than dither, delay and discord," he said.