Blair defends summit actions

London would abandon its annual EU budget rebate so long as it is accompanied by a review of the EU's subsidies to farmers, prime minister Tony Blair told British MPs on Monday (20 June).

In an atmosphere of rare support from all the parties sitting in the chamber, Mr Blair defended his stance at last week's summit.

He played down the message of crisis coming from other European capitals because of the failure to reach a deal. Instead, he argued the real crisis would be the seven...