UK's Ashton tipped to be EU foreign affairs chief

BRUSSELS Nov 19 (Reuters) - The chances of Briton Catherine Ashton becoming the European Union's foreign affairs chief rose on Thursday when she won the backing of European Socialist parties. An EU diplomat said Ashton, the EU trade commissioner, had been chosen by Socialist leaders and parliamentarians as their preferred candidate. EU heads of state and government were meeting on Thursday to decide who will be the EU's first president and the high representative for foreign affairs. (Reporting by Darren Ennis, editing by Timothy Heritage)