Nicolas Sarkozy, French president, has blamed Peter Mandelson, EU trade commissioner, for Ireland’s rejection of the bloc’s Lisbon treaty, claiming his offer to cut Europe’s farm tariffs to secure a world trade deal alienated Irish voters.

Mr Sarkozy’s attack reflects the long-standing French belief that the British commissioner represents an unpopular strand of economic liberalism at a time when citizens want the European Union to “protect” them.