Blair ruled out of EU Presidency race

Tony Blair is out of the EU Presidency race.

The British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said he won't table the former PM's name at tonight's meeting in Brussels.

Instead, he is backing Britain's EU Trade Commissioner Baroness Cathy Ashton for the role of EU Foreign Minister.

The favourite for President remains Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy, however former Fine Gael leader John Bruton is still in the frame.

Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende is understood to have ruled himself out.