Speaker Lionel Jospin on the laureate:

“Wait and see”: I believe this very British motto for life is a good way to describe the attitude of the United Kingdom towards Europe. 16 years lie between the founding of the European Economic Community and Britain’s accession; 11 years went by before Great Britain joined the European currency system; 6 years—and only 6 years separate the composition of the Social Charter and it’s signing by Great Britain. We have you to thank, Tony Blair, for the shortening of these intervals.’