A quote from The Financial Times, 8 January 2008

Tony Blair, the former [British] prime minister, will this week underline his close rapport with Nicolas Sarkozy, when he speaks at a conference of the French president’s centre-right party [UMP] in Paris. [...] The French president has frequently dispatched his ministers to London for Labour government ideas on, for example, homelessness and public-private partnerships.

That Mr Sarkozy is well-disposed to Britain owes as much to his friendship with Mr Blair as to any relationship developed with his successor, Gordon Brown, said a French government figure, adding: “Sarko loves Blair”.

Their rapport will sustain speculation Mr Blair could be Mr Sarkozy’s favourite candidate for the new post of permanent president of the European Union next year.