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Brown defends EU treaty position Brown defends EU treaty position
(30 minutes later)
Gordon Brown has defended his stance on the EU Reform Treaty, saying key opt-outs will mean British law will not be overruled by Europe.Gordon Brown has defended his stance on the EU Reform Treaty, saying key opt-outs will mean British law will not be overruled by Europe.
Mr Brown told the Commons that MPs would be given a chance to debate ratification of the treaty which was negotiated in Portugal last week.Mr Brown told the Commons that MPs would be given a chance to debate ratification of the treaty which was negotiated in Portugal last week.
He also said the government would oppose further EU institutional change during this Parliament and the next. He also said the government would oppose further EU institutional change.
The Tories said Mr Brown had "no democratic mandate" to sign the treaty. The Tories called for a referendum on the issue and accused ministers of breaking a manifesto commitment.
The government has been facing calls from the Conservatives for a referendum on the issue. The protections we have negotiated defend the British national interest Gordon Brown
They say the treaty is almost identical to the rejected constitution on which Tony Blair promised a referendum. The prime minister told MPs that he had secured "special treatment for the UK in a range of areas" at the European summit and that Britain would keep opt-outs on foreign policy, labour rights, tax and social security.
Mr Brown denies this and ministers are planning a line-by-line debate on the treaty by MPs next year instead. "The protections we have negotiated defend the British national interest," he said.
Promising to oppose any further EU institutional reforms within this parliament and the next, Mr Brown said he would now focus on setting out a new agenda for the EU.
This would include "the new priorities" of jobs, competitiveness, prosperity, climate change and security "so that Europe can play a far stronger part in the competitive economy of the world and be a leader and success story in the new global order," he said.
'Election commitment''Election commitment'
The treaty is due to be formally signed in December. But Tory leader David Cameron said the British public would not trust the government if they were not given a vote on the issue.
On Sunday, shadow foreign secretary William Hague told the BBC the Conservatives were "unlikely" to defeat the government over a referendum on the EU Reform Treaty. The Conservatives say the treaty is almost the same as the rejected constitution on which Tony Blair promised a referendum.
The Conservatives claim as many as 120 Labour MPs are in favour of one - easily enough to overturn the government's 69 majority. He [Gordon Brown] has absolutely no democratic mandate to sign this without a referendum David Cameron
But the Tories concede the number of Labour rebels could fall significantly with pressure from government whips. They claim as many as 120 Labour MPs are in favour of one - easily enough to overturn the government's 69 majority.
Mr Hague told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: "If the Liberal Democrat MPs also break their solemn election commitment, as well as Labour MPs, then of course that makes it difficult for us to win a vote in the House of Commons. Mr Cameron told the Commons: "He [Mr Brown] promised to honour his manifesto but he is breaking one of the most important manifesto commitments of all."
If William Hague got his way and this treaty were renegotiated, Britain would be left isolated with no allies in the EU Europe Minister Jim Murphy He added: "He has absolutely no democratic mandate to sign this without a referendum. If he breaks his trust with the British people they will rightly say how can we ever trust him on anything else again."
"Although those in marginal seats will have to remember that their breach of that promise is something we will remind their constituents about in some detail at the next general election. The government denies the treaty is the same as the rejected constitution and ministers are planning a line-by-line debate on the treaty by MPs instead.
"There are going to be real parliamentary battles about this treaty, which is the European constitution in disguise... Nearly everything that was in the constitution is back in it."
If the Conservatives lose the fight for a plebiscite on the treaty, they would then have to decide whether to fight the next general election on a promise of a referendum to rescind it, said Mr Hague.
Speaking on GMTV's Sunday programme, shadow Europe minister Mark Francois said Lib Dem MPs were "key" to Tory hopes of defeating the government in the Commons.
But any prospect of a Lib Dem/Tory alliance appears to have been ruled out by the two contenders for the Lib Dem leadership, Nick Clegg and Chris Huhne.
They both told the BBC's Andrew Marr they would not back a referendum.
Europe Minister Jim Murphy told the Sunday Telegraph he was "confident" the government would achieve its goal of ratifying the treaty without holding a public vote, predicting pro-European Tories would back the government.
'Fullest scrutiny'
The reform treaty was agreed in the early hours of Friday at an EU summit in Lisbon, but all 27 EU member states must ratify it by 2009 for it to come into effect.The reform treaty was agreed in the early hours of Friday at an EU summit in Lisbon, but all 27 EU member states must ratify it by 2009 for it to come into effect.
So far, only the Irish Republic has said it will hold a referendum, with other countries, including the UK, planning to ratify the treaty through their national parliaments.So far, only the Irish Republic has said it will hold a referendum, with other countries, including the UK, planning to ratify the treaty through their national parliaments.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has promised it will be given the fullest scrutiny by MPs before being put to a vote - a process that could take up to three months. Mr Brown has promised it will be given the fullest scrutiny by MPs before being put to a vote - a process that could take up to three months.
Mr Murphy hit back at suggestions the Conservatives could rescind the treaty after a public vote.
"If William Hague got his way and this treaty were renegotiated, Britain would be left isolated with no allies in the EU. The EU would waste 10 years on instability and uncertainty," he added.