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| Version 14 | Version 15 |
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| Blair sets out EU treaty demands | Blair sets out EU treaty demands |
| (20 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 were four key areas where he would not compromise: the Charter of Fundamental Rights, foreign policy, common law, and tax and benefits. | He said there were four key areas where he would not compromise: the Charter of Fundamental Rights, foreign policy, common law, and tax and benefits. |
| He told MPs that his stance meant there would be no need for a referendum on any treaty that emerges from talks. | He told MPs that his stance meant there would be no need for a referendum on any treaty that emerges from talks. |
| But the Conservatives say any deal that hands power to the EU must be put to the public in a referendum. | |
| Shadow Europe Minister Mark Francois said: "These are not so much red lines as red herrings. For instance, he said nothing about a new EU president or giving the EU the right to sign treaties. | |
| 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 |
| "Nor did he make clear his views on the crucial details in other areas that could see major transfers of power to the EU." | |
| He added: "What really matters is simple - that the government should stick to its promise and give the British people the final say in a referendum if a new treaty hands over powers from Britain to the EU by bringing back parts of the rejected constitution." | |
| Mr Blair pledged in 2004 to hold a referendum on the draft EU constitution, before it was rejected by voters in France and the Netherlands. | Mr Blair pledged in 2004 to hold a referendum on the draft EU constitution, before it was rejected by voters in France and the Netherlands. |
| 'Absurd' | |
| 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. | |
| 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 4's The World at One that 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 4's The World at One that 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. |
| Mr Blair has outlined what he won't sign up to, but shouldn't he have the decency to tell us what he will agree on? Nigel Farage, UKIP leader | Mr Blair has outlined what he won't sign up to, but shouldn't he have the decency to tell us what he will agree on? Nigel Farage, UKIP leader |
| "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. |
| For a master communicator Mr Blair's language is a little odd BBC Europe editor Mark Mardell href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markmardell/">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." |
| 'Dead duck' | 'Dead duck' |
| The UK Independence Party, which campaigns for Britain's exit from the EU, dismissed Mr Blair's assurances as "a decoy to mask what is really going on". | The UK Independence Party, which campaigns for Britain's exit from the EU, dismissed Mr Blair's assurances as "a decoy to mask what is really going on". |
| "If there is nothing in the treaty that the British people should object to, then why is he too scared to let us have a say in a free and fair referendum?," said UKIP leader Nigel Farage. | "If there is nothing in the treaty that the British people should object to, then why is he too scared to let us have a say in a free and fair referendum?," said UKIP leader Nigel Farage. |
| "Mr Blair has outlined what he won't sign up to, but shouldn't he have the decency to tell us what he will agree on? | "Mr Blair has outlined what he won't sign up to, but shouldn't he have the decency to tell us what he will agree on? |
| "Are Mrs Merkel and [French president] Mr Sarkozy really going to be held back from their dreams of a new EU Treaty by a dead duck prime minister who only has days left as leader?" he added. | "Are Mrs Merkel and [French president] Mr Sarkozy really going to be held back from their dreams of a new EU Treaty by a dead duck prime minister who only has days left as leader?" he added. |
| Mr Blair will step down as prime minister on Wednesday next week. | Mr Blair will step down as prime minister on Wednesday next week. |