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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| EC boss argues against referendum | EC boss argues against referendum |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has urged Britain not to hold a referendum on any new treaty agreed at this week's EU summit. | European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has urged Britain not to hold a referendum on any new treaty agreed at this week's EU summit. |
| He said it was up to the British people but he could not see why the country which exported democracy to the world would not respect its own Parliament. | He said it was up to the British people but he could not see why the country which exported democracy to the world would not respect its own Parliament. |
| And he urged all EU leaders to resist "ugly nationalism" in talks later. | And he urged all EU leaders to resist "ugly nationalism" in talks later. |
| The UK government, which opposes key parts of the treaty, is under pressure to hold a referendum on any deal. | The UK government, which opposes key parts of the treaty, is under pressure to hold a referendum on any deal. |
| The summit is meant to issue a mandate for an intergovernmental conference to agree the precise wording of a treaty to replace the failed EU constitution. | The summit is meant to issue a mandate for an intergovernmental conference to agree the precise wording of a treaty to replace the failed EU constitution. |
| Britain has said it will not sign up to a treaty that hands power to the EU in four key "red line" areas: Foreign policy, tax and benefits, common law and a charter of fundamental rights, which could give workers more rights to strike. | |
| 'Killed their king' | 'Killed their king' |
| UK Foreign Secretary, Margaret Beckett, said Britain wanted a Europe "of sovereign nations, not a superstate". | UK Foreign Secretary, Margaret Beckett, said Britain wanted a Europe "of sovereign nations, not a superstate". |
| But Mr Barroso warned Britain not to block progress towards a treaty. | But Mr Barroso warned Britain not to block progress towards a treaty. |
| In an interview with the BBC, he said: "Sometimes I hear people saying that for Parliament to approve it would be by the back door. | In an interview with the BBC, he said: "Sometimes I hear people saying that for Parliament to approve it would be by the back door. |
| Is that the respect some people show their Parliament, maybe the greatest Parliament in the world? I don't consider Parliament the back door Jose Manuel Barroso | Is that the respect some people show their Parliament, maybe the greatest Parliament in the world? I don't consider Parliament the back door Jose Manuel Barroso |
| "Britain is the country that exported Parliamentary democracy to the world. Do the British people consider Parliament the backdoor? | "Britain is the country that exported Parliamentary democracy to the world. Do the British people consider Parliament the backdoor? |
| "Do the British people who killed their king to protect the rights of Parliament consider it the back door? | "Do the British people who killed their king to protect the rights of Parliament consider it the back door? |
| "Is that the respect some people show their Parliament , maybe the greatest Parliament in the world? I don't consider Parliament the back door." | "Is that the respect some people show their Parliament , maybe the greatest Parliament in the world? I don't consider Parliament the back door." |
| He added that leaders had to stand up to the sort of "ugly nationalism" that traded on " imaginary threats" like the idea that the EU was becoming a super state. | He added that leaders had to stand up to the sort of "ugly nationalism" that traded on " imaginary threats" like the idea that the EU was becoming a super state. |
| Opinion poll | Opinion poll |
| He said he could not see why a confident country like Britain was not confident about Europe. | He said he could not see why a confident country like Britain was not confident about Europe. |
| hese red lines are so vague that we may have to debate afterwards whether they have been met or not William Hague, shadow foreign secretary | |
| And he suggested Britain would leave the talks having ceded some ground. | And he suggested Britain would leave the talks having ceded some ground. |
| "All the leaders say that they want 100% achievement," he said. | "All the leaders say that they want 100% achievement," he said. |
| "But one thing we have to accept is that in Europe you've got to be reasonable and rational - and I know that Prime Minister Blair, as the British people, is very reasonable and rational." | "But one thing we have to accept is that in Europe you've got to be reasonable and rational - and I know that Prime Minister Blair, as the British people, is very reasonable and rational." |
| It comes as an opinion poll suggests the majority of British people want a referendum on the new constitutional treaty and do not want to give more powers to the EU. | It comes as an opinion poll suggests the majority of British people want a referendum on the new constitutional treaty and do not want to give more powers to the EU. |
| The ICM poll of 1,000 people, for eurosceptic pressure group Open Europe, also suggests that refusing to hold a referendum could damage Labour at the next election, | The ICM poll of 1,000 people, for eurosceptic pressure group Open Europe, also suggests that refusing to hold a referendum could damage Labour at the next election, |
| According to the survey, 43% of Labour voters say they would be "definitely less likely" to vote for Gordon Brown if he does not hold a referendum. | According to the survey, 43% of Labour voters say they would be "definitely less likely" to vote for Gordon Brown if he does not hold a referendum. |
| 'Vague' | |
| Tony Blair, who promised a referendum on the EU constitution in 2004, before it was rejected by voters in France and Holland, said a vote would not be needed if Britain gets its way at this week's summit. | Tony Blair, who promised a referendum on the EU constitution in 2004, before it was rejected by voters in France and Holland, said a vote would not be needed if Britain gets its way at this week's summit. |
| But the Conservatives say any deal handing power to the EU must be put to the public vote. | But the Conservatives say any deal handing power to the EU must be put to the public vote. |
| Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said: "These red lines are so vague that we may have to debate afterwards whether they have been met or not. | |
| "And even if he did meet all of them - even if he managed to defend all of them and could define what they were - he would still have given over a great deal more power from Britain to the European Union. | |
| "And that's why we think he should keep his promise to have a referendum on this kind of treaty." |