President Chirac looks on in dismay as Prime Minister Blair taunts him with the last jaffa cake in the building

A new split in the European Union was opened today when a shortfall in the number of afternoon jaffa cakes lead to a showdown between Frances President Jacques Chirac and the British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Mr Blair insisted that the last jaffa cake was legitimately his as there had been concessions made during morning tea break to allow Mr Chirac to have the last chocolate bourbon.

Mr Chirac disputed the claim that a chocolate bourbon in any way compared to a jaffa cake and demanded that he should get a bite of the controversial cake biscuit, 'I can not accept that a dry, basic biscuit like a bourbon is anywhere near the same as a jam filled chocolate coated cake biscuit like a jaffa cake.

The situation was rapidly concluded when Mr Blair pushed the entire cake biscuit into his mouth forcing an end to the tense stand off.

The defiant action of Mr Blair has angered the French Premiere who left the meeting soon after bringing the days meeting to an abrupt end. Mr Chirac was said to be extremely angered by the incident and is likely to demand new restrictions be placed on the allocation of tea break 'tucker'.

Mr Chirac was visibly shaken by the biscuity cake showdown

Mr Blair was in jubilant mood, explaining the outcome of the biscuit crisis had been a sound and solid statement to the French that a share of quality and less quality biscuits was a statutory right of all members of the European Union.

'Look, this isn't just about who got to the jaffa cake first, or my biscuit is better than yours, this is about decisions that have been agreed upon, whether it be at morning break or whether it be last time Jacques came round for lunch'.

The repercussions of this latest bust up could have consequences well into the future. Already Mr Chirac has stated that he will not be going to Tonys birthday party and he might not even give him back his copy of Nuts he borrowed yesterday.

It is unlikely that a truce will be agreed between the leaders any time soon as some feel this whole incident could be in part a reaction to Mr Blairs anger at President Chirac for not letting him have a go on his new moped last week.