A model cow painted in hope of Romania's
EU accession. Photo: Vadim Ghirda/APJohn Reid, beaming from his focus-group fuelled endorsement by the American pollster Frank Luntz that among the marginal voters that matter he, rather than Gordon Brown, should be the next Labour leader, is in a bit of a dilemma today over announcing further details of his clampdown on Romanians and Bulgarians coming to work in Britain next year.
The official announcement on whether the way is clear for the two ex-Soviet bloc states to join the EU is going to be made early this afternoon in Strasbourg when it would be expected the home secretary would clarify Britain's reaction.
But the official EU statement is going to be made at the same time that Tony Blair is getting to his feet.
Reid would rather make his "keep 'em out" announcement on Thursday when he gets his turn at the Labour conference rostrum.
He is banking that the 24-hour news media will be too busy with Tony's future to worry about thousands of new Balkan workers. He is probably right.
