Portrait of the Week – 2 July 2005

Mr Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, gave a 30-minute speech to the European Parliament in Brussels, in advance of Britain’s assumption of the six-monthly presidency of the European Union, which began on 1 July. He described himself as a ‘passionate pro-European’ committed to ‘Europe as a political project’. He said, ‘Some have suggested I want to abandon Europe’s social model. But tell me, what type of social model is it that has 20 million unemployed in Europe?’ He called for change. ‘It is time to give ourselves a reality check — to receive the wake-up call. The people are blowing the trumpets around the city walls. Are we listening?’ The Queen reviewed 136 ships from 36 nations in the Solent to mark the 200th anniversary of Trafalgar. A study by 14 professors at the London School of Economics found that introducing identity cards would cost between £10.6 billion and £19.2