Europe? You can forget a referendum, says Blair

THE nightmare of Britain signing up to a European super-state loomed larger last night.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel right and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero lef German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, lef

The prospect arose as Downing Street insisted that the public will not have a say in a referendum.

Hopes that other Euro-sceptic nations would block Germany and France’s bid to stitch up a deal on the new European constitution were dashed when Poland appeared to buckle under pressure from Paris and Berlin.

At the same time, Tony Blair’s official spokesman confirmed that he views the document – expected to be agreed at a Brussels summit next week – as an “amending” treaty rather than a “constitutional” treaty.

No referendum was therefore necessary, he said.

The news will infuriate millions of Britons who fear that the Government is preparing to secretly sign the country to an EU deal which few want.

Downing Street has refused to say whether Mr Blair backs the new German proposals

And yesterday, thousands of  Daily Express readers inundated our website – express.co.uk – insisting the Government calls a referendum before handing more powers to Brussels.

Many accused Tony Blair and Gordon Brown of treachery and said the time had come to review our position in Europe.

Mr Blair promised a public vote on the EU constitution in 2004 – before the original constitution was rejected by France and Holland.

But the slimmed-down treaty – dubbed “son of constitution” – which is expected to be put forward by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, will still include measures that will dramatically sap Britain’s independence.

They include the UK giving up its veto over border policy and the courts – as well as EU law formally being placed ahead of British law.

The EU will  get a foreign minister and a “legal personality” that would allow it a say at bodies such as the United Nations.

There would also be a “Charter of Fundamental Rights” giving unions more clout and potentially piling costs on business.

The European Union would also get a formal, full-time president, replacing the custom that each country holds the presidency for a six-month term.

Poland had been holding out in a bid to get an increased share of the vote at EU meetings – part of its ambition to be recognised as a major player in Brussels.

But Polish premier Jaroslaw Kaczynski said yesterday he was “optimistic” that a deal could be done and that his country would not have to use its veto.

Downing Street has refused to say whether Mr Blair backs the new German proposals outlined in a leaked memo yesterday or will veto them.

But he is expected to come under huge pressure at next week’s summit in Brussels to sign up to the new constitution – leaving Gordon Brown a massive political headache. The Conservatives renewed their calls for any changes to be put to the British people yesterday.

Mark Francois, Tory spokesman on Europe, said that changing the description of the constitution to an “amending treaty” was nothing more than cosmetic.

“This is all being done in secret behind the backs of the British people and their Parliament,” he said. “If any further powers are transferred from Britain to the EU, the British people must, absolutely, must have a referendum.

Derek Scott, vice-chairman of free-market thinktank Open Europe, said: “Gordon Brown has said he wants to involve people in decisions. If he is serious about that, he should call a referendum.”

A Downing Street spokeswoman said last night that Britain had already made clear that it would not accept any treaty requiring the UK to alter labour and social legislation.

She said Britain would not give up its common law system or police and judicial processes, lose its independent foreign and defence policy or seat on the UN Security Council, or give up control of its social security system.

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