TONY BLAIR warned France last night that the European Union would never regain the confidence of its citizens unless President Chirac agreed to far-reaching changes in its priorities and direction.

That meant substantial reductions in the money the EU channelled to French and other farmers, and an end to the traditional dominance of the Franco-German alliance.

Mr Blair’s message, delivered after tough talks with M Chirac in Paris before the Brussels summit tomorrow, was intended to direct attention away from Britain’s £3 billion budget rebate and back towards France’s rejection of the EU constitution. “If we want to reconnect people with the idea of the EU we have to set a new political direction and reconnect the priorities which the people have with the way we spend money,” Mr Blair said.

In a break with tradition that showed how cool relations have become, Mr Blair and M Chirac did not hold a joint press conference. At a solo press conference at the British Embassy, Mr Blair insisted that the rebate could not be removed without a fundamental reappraisal of all EU spending priorities, particularly spending on agriculture. The rebate would not be given away for a “slapped-together deal that does not work”.

He has allies in this — it has emerged that the Netherlands and Sweden are backing his calls for a shake-up of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Mr Blair disagrees with M Chirac and Gerhard Schröder, the German Chancellor, over whether the 2002 deal that set CAP spending to 2013 can be reopened. He says that it is impossible to envisage the reappraisal he wants without touching the CAP, and senior British ministers are pointing out that under Paragraph 12 of the 2002 agreement the CAP settlement can be reopened as part of the current budget negotiations.

After an hour of discussion with M Chirac, Mr Blair admitted “sharp” disagreements over the budget and sought to shift attention back to France’s rejection of the constitution.

“The response should be to concentrate on issues of how we spend European money. The response should be to reconnect the priorities of the EU with the priorities of the people of Europe,” Mr Blair said.

He demanded changes to the way that the EU is run. “It’s got to be run on a different basis. We need a strong Europe, but it’s got to be a strong Europe of the right kind. The FrancoGerman relationship is very important but it cannot comprise all of what now drives Europe forward,” he said.

M Chirac was in no mood to back down. A spokesman said that he told the Prime Minister: “In the situation of political crisis now affecting Europe, it is important that we do not add financial difficulties.”

Last night Mr Blair took his message directly to the French people, talking mainly in French on the evening news on TF1, the most-watched television channel. He defended the British economic system — held up as the unattractive future of Europe during the French referendum campaign. “We have tried to find another way to combine social solidarity with an economy that is very competitive,” he said.

Mr Blair’s interview will have helped to soften Britain’s image as a country of cruel capitalism. His appearance in stumbling French was described by one woman viewer as “pure Hugh Grant, all apologies and self-deprecation”.

• José Manuel Barroso, the President of the European Commission, last night appealed for a “pause” in the ratification process of the EU constitution, to avoid further rejections of the treaty. “The best solution . . . may be prudence. I would advise at least a pause, a reflection, because there is actually a risk there,” Senhor Barroso said on French television, alluding to the danger that other countries might follow French and Dutch voters in rejecting the constitution.

Times Recommends

• It’s only Brits who don’t appreciate me, says Blair
• Party’s over for Greek graspers
• White House tightens security for Xmas marathon