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Brown welcomes deal on EU treaty | Brown welcomes deal on EU treaty |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has welcomed the agreement of a new EU treaty, reached after last-minute changes at a summit in Portugal. | |
"The red lines have been secured. The British national interest has been protected," Mr Brown said. | "The red lines have been secured. The British national interest has been protected," Mr Brown said. |
He said Britain can still set its own policies on justice, home and foreign affairs, as well as security. | He said Britain can still set its own policies on justice, home and foreign affairs, as well as security. |
But shadow Europe minister Mark Francois said the Conservatives would continue to campaign for a referendum. | But shadow Europe minister Mark Francois said the Conservatives would continue to campaign for a referendum. |
Mr Brown said: "It is now time for Europe to move on and devote all our efforts to the issues that matter to the people of Europe - economic growth, jobs, climate change and security." | Mr Brown said: "It is now time for Europe to move on and devote all our efforts to the issues that matter to the people of Europe - economic growth, jobs, climate change and security." |
Britain has negotiated very hard some opt-outs on some specific issues - now we don't expect any more requests in that area Jose Manuel Barroso | Britain has negotiated very hard some opt-outs on some specific issues - now we don't expect any more requests in that area Jose Manuel Barroso |
Earlier the European Commission's president Jose Manuel Barroso said Britain's requests for concessions in the EU treaty were likely to be met, but it must not make any fresh demands. | Earlier the European Commission's president Jose Manuel Barroso said Britain's requests for concessions in the EU treaty were likely to be met, but it must not make any fresh demands. |
He added he hoped for no further "difficulties" at the two-day summit in Lisbon as he urged all EU leaders to back the treaty. | He added he hoped for no further "difficulties" at the two-day summit in Lisbon as he urged all EU leaders to back the treaty. |
"We prefer to have a solution that is broadly agreed with some specific opt-outs for some countries than not to move forward," he had said. | "We prefer to have a solution that is broadly agreed with some specific opt-outs for some countries than not to move forward," he had said. |
Foreign Secretary David Miliband told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The consequence of this treaty is that Europe has to prove that it can make a real difference to people's lives on issues like climate change, jobs and terrorism." | |
'National interests' | 'National interests' |
The opt-outs, which Mr Brown referred to as "red lines", were in areas such as human rights, tax and benefits, foreign policy and justice. | The opt-outs, which Mr Brown referred to as "red lines", were in areas such as human rights, tax and benefits, foreign policy and justice. |
Mr Barroso said a "broadly agreed" EU treaty would be a good outcomeThe prime minister said that if these made the final draft of the treaty, it would avoid any significant transfer of power to Brussels. | Mr Barroso said a "broadly agreed" EU treaty would be a good outcomeThe prime minister said that if these made the final draft of the treaty, it would avoid any significant transfer of power to Brussels. |
"I've been determined that Britain will continue to decide in justice and home affairs - and I believe that the detailed changes that are being made with the opt-in for Britain in this area protect the British national interests," Mr Brown said at a news conference in the Portuguese capital before the deal was reached. | |
"On foreign affairs and security matters, it is important for us that Britain can decide, and that's why we have been determined that foreign policy remains inter-governmental and decisions are made by unanimity. | "On foreign affairs and security matters, it is important for us that Britain can decide, and that's why we have been determined that foreign policy remains inter-governmental and decisions are made by unanimity. |
"On social security, we have been determined that there is an emergency break - and in some cases a veto - so that decisions are made in the interests of Britain." | "On social security, we have been determined that there is an emergency break - and in some cases a veto - so that decisions are made in the interests of Britain." |
Mr Brown, attending his first EU summit as prime minister, had pledged to veto the treaty if Britain's "red lines" were not fully incorporated. | Mr Brown, attending his first EU summit as prime minister, had pledged to veto the treaty if Britain's "red lines" were not fully incorporated. |
Referendum calls | Referendum calls |
Tory Mark Francois said: "In the small hours of the night Gordon Brown has agreed the revised EU constitution which potentially transfers massive powers from Britain to the EU. | Tory Mark Francois said: "In the small hours of the night Gordon Brown has agreed the revised EU constitution which potentially transfers massive powers from Britain to the EU. |
"He had absolutely no democratic mandate to do this and we will now step up our campaign to secure the referendum which he promised the British people all along." | "He had absolutely no democratic mandate to do this and we will now step up our campaign to secure the referendum which he promised the British people all along." |
And shadow foreign secretary William Hague said that by failing to agree to a referendum, Mr Brown was "still treating the British people like fools" with comments that had "reached new depths of cynicism". | And shadow foreign secretary William Hague said that by failing to agree to a referendum, Mr Brown was "still treating the British people like fools" with comments that had "reached new depths of cynicism". |
"He still claims that because the name 'constitution' has been dropped, this treaty is somehow different, even though the European Scrutiny Committee has specifically told him his argument is misleading. | "He still claims that because the name 'constitution' has been dropped, this treaty is somehow different, even though the European Scrutiny Committee has specifically told him his argument is misleading. |
"He claims that this treaty is about making a free-trading Europe work better, when he knows that it downgrades the importance of free competition." | |
But Mr Miliband said the constitution was "dead" and "by no measure" could the treaty be called a constitution. | |
He said it was time to dispel the "myths" that the treaty amounted to "the end of Britain". | |
Mr Hague said polls showed most British people wanted a referendum | |
'Country called Europe' | |
The UK Independence Party (UKIP) has also demanded a referendum, along with some Labour MPs, while ex-Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell has said a public vote should be held on the wider question of UK membership of the EU as well. | |
Speaking on BBC Radio 4, UKIP leader Nigel Farage said: "We've agreed a treaty that makes the European Union a country, a country called Europe now exists. | |
"Once this treaty goes through there's no legal debate or argument about that." | |
But Mr Brown was adamant a referendum was not needed. | |
"If we were debating as big an issue as Britain's membership of the euro, I would have been the first - indeed, I was the first - to say this is such an issue of great significance that the British people must vote in a referendum," he said. | "If we were debating as big an issue as Britain's membership of the euro, I would have been the first - indeed, I was the first - to say this is such an issue of great significance that the British people must vote in a referendum," he said. |
"If it was the previous constitutional treaty, I would have argued, as we did, that there should have been a referendum. But this is an amending treaty, where the constitutional concept has been abandoned." | "If it was the previous constitutional treaty, I would have argued, as we did, that there should have been a referendum. But this is an amending treaty, where the constitutional concept has been abandoned." |
He said this was "a very different document" to the failed EU constitution, on which voters in the UK were promised a referendum. | He said this was "a very different document" to the failed EU constitution, on which voters in the UK were promised a referendum. |
And a parliamentary debate would be "the proper way of discussing this", he insisted, as long as the "red lines" made the final draft. | And a parliamentary debate would be "the proper way of discussing this", he insisted, as long as the "red lines" made the final draft. |