LexisNexis(TM) Academic - Document
Copyright 2005 The Financial Times Limited
Financial Times (London, England)
August 23, 2005 Tuesday
London Edition 1
SECTION: COMMENT; Pg. 14
LENGTH: 457 words
HEADLINE: Blair gives Mandy a Chinese burn CATHY NEWMAN - NOTEBOOK
BYLINE: By CATHY NEWMAN
BODY:
An e-mail from the prime minister to the European Union trade commissioner Peter Mandelson has been handed to the FT. In the public interest, we reproduce it here in full.
Tony Blair 22/8/05
To: Peter Mandelson
cc: David Hill, Kim Darroch
Subject: China textile quotas
Peter,
Barbadian communication being what it is, I've lost track of where we are on Chinese quotas. As far as I understand it, millions of trousers, shirts and bras are piling up in warehouses because the EU has breached the ceiling on Chinese imports agreed by you in June to protect the European textiles industry.
Dave tells me the Mail are onto the story - and your role in it - and are about to run a campaign about a shortage of M&S bras. (Cherie's not too happy either. She says, what with our exorbitant mortgage, she can't afford to splash out on European- made lingerie. I'm just hoping this has all blown over by the time we get back, so Paul Dacre doesn't catch her mouthing off about it.)
Anyway, this is fast becoming abig problem. You've simply got to
sort it out. I know you wouldn't give Chinese garments wardrobe-room, but as one who does, let me tellyou those stockpiles spell bad news.
Digby's already been onto me about businesses going to the wall - he reckons the stock shortage is going to cost retailers millions in lost sales. And the broader point is that for all our banging on about modernising Europe, the deal you did in June smacks just a little of old-fashioned protectionism. No wonder Jacques and Silvio have been keeping mum about the whole thing.
Have you done your homework on this Peter? It pains me to admit it, but I don't think Gordon would have under-estimated the level of demand for Chinese goods in the way you seem to have done. (OK, so maybe his intimate knowledge of Chinese textiles stems from the fact that he buys his suits from Primark.)
So here's what I think: I know that while we're hosting the EU presidency, we've got to observe the niceties of diplomacy blah blah, but really I think it's time to take on the French again.
After all, what have we got to lose? Our textiles industry isn't up to much, so letting in some more Chinese pullovers and bras isn't going to hurt UK plc . . .
We've got to be seen to be doing something. It's only a matter of time before the press realises that you, I and all the ministers responsible have been topping up our tans rather than getting ourselves briefed up on this.
Anyway, final word: get this sorted within the fortnight. (Yes I might be sipping a banana daiquiri, but I haven't forgotten the joys of the impending EU-China summit. An ongoing spat over textiles is the last thing I need.)
When I wangled you the EU job a year ago, I knew I could rely on you. Don't prove me wrong, please.
Tony
LOAD-DATE: August 22, 2005
Financial Times (London, England)
August 23, 2005 Tuesday
London Edition 1
SECTION: COMMENT; Pg. 14
LENGTH: 457 words
HEADLINE: Blair gives Mandy a Chinese burn CATHY NEWMAN - NOTEBOOK
BYLINE: By CATHY NEWMAN
BODY:
An e-mail from the prime minister to the European Union trade commissioner Peter Mandelson has been handed to the FT. In the public interest, we reproduce it here in full.
Tony Blair 22/8/05
To: Peter Mandelson
cc: David Hill, Kim Darroch
Subject: China textile quotas
Peter,
Barbadian communication being what it is, I've lost track of where we are on Chinese quotas. As far as I understand it, millions of trousers, shirts and bras are piling up in warehouses because the EU has breached the ceiling on Chinese imports agreed by you in June to protect the European textiles industry.
Dave tells me the Mail are onto the story - and your role in it - and are about to run a campaign about a shortage of M&S bras. (Cherie's not too happy either. She says, what with our exorbitant mortgage, she can't afford to splash out on European- made lingerie. I'm just hoping this has all blown over by the time we get back, so Paul Dacre doesn't catch her mouthing off about it.)
Anyway, this is fast becoming abig problem. You've simply got to
sort it out. I know you wouldn't give Chinese garments wardrobe-room, but as one who does, let me tellyou those stockpiles spell bad news.
Digby's already been onto me about businesses going to the wall - he reckons the stock shortage is going to cost retailers millions in lost sales. And the broader point is that for all our banging on about modernising Europe, the deal you did in June smacks just a little of old-fashioned protectionism. No wonder Jacques and Silvio have been keeping mum about the whole thing.
Have you done your homework on this Peter? It pains me to admit it, but I don't think Gordon would have under-estimated the level of demand for Chinese goods in the way you seem to have done. (OK, so maybe his intimate knowledge of Chinese textiles stems from the fact that he buys his suits from Primark.)
So here's what I think: I know that while we're hosting the EU presidency, we've got to observe the niceties of diplomacy blah blah, but really I think it's time to take on the French again.
After all, what have we got to lose? Our textiles industry isn't up to much, so letting in some more Chinese pullovers and bras isn't going to hurt UK plc . . .
We've got to be seen to be doing something. It's only a matter of time before the press realises that you, I and all the ministers responsible have been topping up our tans rather than getting ourselves briefed up on this.
Anyway, final word: get this sorted within the fortnight. (Yes I might be sipping a banana daiquiri, but I haven't forgotten the joys of the impending EU-China summit. An ongoing spat over textiles is the last thing I need.)
When I wangled you the EU job a year ago, I knew I could rely on you. Don't prove me wrong, please.
Tony
LOAD-DATE: August 22, 2005
posted by Eastlaw at 12:07 AM
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