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| Blair sets out EU treaty demands | Blair sets out EU treaty demands |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Tony Blair has said he will not sign a treaty at this week's EU summit giving up control of British law to Brussels. | Tony Blair has said he will not sign a treaty at this week's EU summit giving up control of British law to Brussels. |
| He said there four key areas where he would not compromise: the Charter of Fundamental Rights, foreign policy, common law and tax and benefits. | He said there four key areas where he would not compromise: the Charter of Fundamental Rights, foreign policy, common law and tax and benefits. |
| He told MPs his stance meant there would be no need for a referendum on any treaty which emerges from talks. | He told MPs his stance meant there would be no need for a referendum on any treaty which emerges from talks. |
| But critics say any deal which hands power to the EU must be put to the public in a referendum. | But critics say any deal which hands power to the EU must be put to the public in a referendum. |
| If we achieve those four objectives I defy people to say what it is that is supposed to be so fundamental that could require a referendum Tony Blair Prime minister PM seeks 'permanent' reform Blair backs appointed Lords | If we achieve those four objectives I defy people to say what it is that is supposed to be so fundamental that could require a referendum Tony Blair Prime minister PM seeks 'permanent' reform Blair backs appointed Lords |
| Mr Blair pledged in 2004 to hold a referendum on the draft EU constitution, before it was rejected by voters in France and Holland. | Mr Blair pledged in 2004 to hold a referendum on the draft EU constitution, before it was rejected by voters in France and Holland. |
| German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is currently chairman of the EU, is expected to push this week for a new treaty preserving the bulk of the constitution. | German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is currently chairman of the EU, is expected to push this week for a new treaty preserving the bulk of the constitution. |
| She is expected to lobby for the EU to have a "single legal personality," a legally-binding charter of fundamental rights and more majority voting in criminal law and foreign policy. | She is expected to lobby for the EU to have a "single legal personality," a legally-binding charter of fundamental rights and more majority voting in criminal law and foreign policy. |
| Europe Minister Geoff Hoon has told the BBC Gordon Brown, who will take over as prime minister at the end of this month, would hold a referendum if significant powers were transferred to the EU at Thursday's summit. | Europe Minister Geoff Hoon has told the BBC Gordon Brown, who will take over as prime minister at the end of this month, would hold a referendum if significant powers were transferred to the EU at Thursday's summit. |
| Labour MP Geoffrey Robinson, a close ally of Mr Brown, told BBC Radio Four's The World at One it would be "absurd" to rule out a referendum "in advance of the negotiation". | Labour MP Geoffrey Robinson, a close ally of Mr Brown, told BBC Radio Four's The World at One it would be "absurd" to rule out a referendum "in advance of the negotiation". |
| But he said he did not think there would be a need for one as the likely deal would not "amount to any significant transfer of powers". | But he said he did not think there would be a need for one as the likely deal would not "amount to any significant transfer of powers". |
| Final engagement | Final engagement |
| In his final appearance before the Commons liaison committee, Mr Blair said he wanted a deal to "amend" existing EU treaties. | In his final appearance before the Commons liaison committee, Mr Blair said he wanted a deal to "amend" existing EU treaties. |
| "If people want an agreement this week we have got to go back to a conventional amending treaty," he told MPs. | "If people want an agreement this week we have got to go back to a conventional amending treaty," he told MPs. |
| And he set out the areas where he said he would not compromise at the summit, which will be his final major engagement before stepping down as prime minister. | And he set out the areas where he said he would not compromise at the summit, which will be his final major engagement before stepping down as prime minister. |
| "First, we will not accept a treaty that allows the charter of fundamental rights to change UK law in any way. | "First, we will not accept a treaty that allows the charter of fundamental rights to change UK law in any way. |
| "Second, we will not agree to something that replaces the role of British foreign policy and our foreign minister. | "Second, we will not agree to something that replaces the role of British foreign policy and our foreign minister. |
| "Thirdly, we will not agree to give up our ability to control our common law and judicial and police system. | "Thirdly, we will not agree to give up our ability to control our common law and judicial and police system. |
| "And fourthly, we will not agree to anything that moves to qualified majority voting something that can have a big say in our own tax and benefit system. We must have the right in those circumstances to determine it by unanimity." | "And fourthly, we will not agree to anything that moves to qualified majority voting something that can have a big say in our own tax and benefit system. We must have the right in those circumstances to determine it by unanimity." |
| He added: "If we achieve those four objectives I defy people to say what it is that is supposed to be so fundamental that could require a referendum." | He added: "If we achieve those four objectives I defy people to say what it is that is supposed to be so fundamental that could require a referendum." |
| 'Good deal' | 'Good deal' |
| He said a treaty was needed to make an expanded Europe of 27 nations work effectively but the government could "never satisfy" Eurosceptics who he said wanted to take Europe in a "backwards" direction. | He said a treaty was needed to make an expanded Europe of 27 nations work effectively but the government could "never satisfy" Eurosceptics who he said wanted to take Europe in a "backwards" direction. |
| "There are people who will say if there is a comma from the constitutional treaty that goes into the new treaty who will say it is a fundamental matter and has got to be put to a referendum," Mr Blair told MPs. | "There are people who will say if there is a comma from the constitutional treaty that goes into the new treaty who will say it is a fundamental matter and has got to be put to a referendum," Mr Blair told MPs. |
| The British government still has a hard job on its hands BBC Europe editor Mark Mardell href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markmardell/2007/06/poles_apart_1.html">Read Mark's thoughts in full | |
| But he also revealed that he did not believe there had been a need for a referendum on the constitution in its original form. | But he also revealed that he did not believe there had been a need for a referendum on the constitution in its original form. |
| "I never had the feelings about the constitutional treaty that other people had because we had actually negotiated a very good deal for the UK. | "I never had the feelings about the constitutional treaty that other people had because we had actually negotiated a very good deal for the UK. |
| "But I accepted in the end it was a treaty that - in the way it was put forward - led to people to say this is something of such a fundamental nature that it should be put to the British people. I didn't always agree with that." | "But I accepted in the end it was a treaty that - in the way it was put forward - led to people to say this is something of such a fundamental nature that it should be put to the British people. I didn't always agree with that." |
| Mr Blair was also grilled on public sector and constitutional reform in his final appearance before the Commons liaison committee. | Mr Blair was also grilled on public sector and constitutional reform in his final appearance before the Commons liaison committee. |
| Mr Blair, who steps down as PM next week, has faced the committee - made up of chairmen of the select committees - twice a year since 2002. | Mr Blair, who steps down as PM next week, has faced the committee - made up of chairmen of the select committees - twice a year since 2002. |