19/05/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Times last week published a confidential letter in which Roger Liddle, Tony Blair's adviser on European policy, reproaches the representatives of the British government at the Convention with presenting "politically badly inspired amendments" to the Praesidium's proposals. In his view, the proposals made by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing "give us most of what we want", and it would therefore be wise to fix priorities and not to fulminate. The Times also points out that, from June on, Jack Straw, Secretary to the Foreign Office, is to replace Peter Hain at the Convention. Convention Member Andrew Duff, British Liberal Democrat and MEP, described as "inexcusable and inexplicable" the British government's attitude on foreign and security policy. "Whether the United Kingdom takes part or not, that is its own concern, but we do not have the right to block the progress of our Union partners in this field", he said.