This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/6763121.stm

The article has changed 16 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 6 Version 7
Blair sets out EU treaty demands Blair sets out EU treaty demands
(about 1 hour 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 fundamental charter of rights, foreign policy, common law and tax and benefits.He said there four key areas where he would not compromise: The fundamental charter of 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 the treaty retains the substance of a constitution and must be put to the public vote. But critics say any deal which hands power to the EU must be put to the public in a referendum.
In his final session before the Commons liaison committee, Mr Blair also called for a "permanent revolution" in public service reform to meet the public's "high expectations". Mr Blair pledged in 2004 to hold a referendum on the draft EU constitution, before it was rejected by voters in France and Holland.
He told MPs he believes there should be "self-sustaining and self-generating" change in schools and hospitals. 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.
Mr Blair is being grilled on public sector reform in his final appearance before the Commons liaison committee. She is expected to lobby for the EU to have a "single legal personality" and a legally-binding Charter of Fundamental Rights, with more majority voting in criminal law and foreign policy.
Final engagement
But, in his final appearance before the Commons liaison committee, Mr Blair said he did not want to resurrect the original document in its entirety.
If we achieve those four objectives I defy people to say what it is that is so supposed to be so fundamental that could require a referendum Tony Blair Prime minister PM seeks 'permanent' reform Blair backs appointed Lords
"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.
"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.
"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."
He added: "If we achieve those four objectives I defy people to say what it is that is so supposed to be so fundamental that could require a referendum."
'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.
"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.
Margaret Beckett told her colleagues a referendum would be extremely hard to win in Britain BBC Europe editor Mark Mardell 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.
"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."
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.