French Referendum: Fate of treaty now in Britain's hands

(First Edition)

THE French result leaves the fate of the Maastricht treaty in the hands of the British government.

Germany's senior European commissioner issued a brusque demand last night to Britain to 'do its duty' by ratifying the treaty speedily. But it looks likely that the Government will wait, perhaps until next year.

Martin Bangemann, the Commission vice president who is responsible for the single European market, said: 'We solved a lot of Britain's problems at Maastricht; nobody was treated as specially as Britain. Please now show the flag.' Quoting Lord Nelson, he added: 'Everyone must do his duty.' The commissioner brushed aside questions about the narrowness of the vote.

While Number 10 treated the announcement of the French Interior Minister with caution, preferring to wait for firm figures, Paddy Ashdown, leader of the Liberal Democrats, welcomed the positive result and said: 'The focus will now switch to Britain. The Prime Minister, both as president of Europe and leader of Britain, must now show leadership to press forward with ratification of Maastricht in the House of Commons.

'Last Wednesday, Mr Major put Britain not at the heart of Europe but at its periphery. He must now act to ensure that the failures of his policies do not make this relegation permanent.'

But John Major has already said that he will not rush to bring the European Communities (Amendment) Bill back to the Commons until next year.

He first wants to see how the Danish government plans to reverse its referendum no-vote before he considers asking the Commons to continue its examination of the ratification legislation.

The Danish government is to produce proposals for the next step today. Uffe Ellemann-Jensen, Denmark's foreign minister, warned yesterday that 'the European Community can never be the same again. Such a close result must clearly lead to changes.'

Although the Danish position could become clear at the Edinburgh EC summit in December, it is much more likely that the Prime Minister will want to wait until the Danes take over the EC presidency in January - which could stall Westminster action until the middle of next year.

Conservative critics exploited the narrowness of the French majority to add to their argument against the treaty, and Lord Parkinson, the former party chairman, said it was 'a dead duck'.

But Jacques Delors, President of the European Commission, said the issue was settled. 'In a referendum, even one carried by a narrow majority, the only thing that matters is the result,' he said in Paris. The French had given their verdict, he added. 'The European Community, France and Europe will thank them on behalf of democracy and history.'

But he admitted: 'We must take into account the doubts and anxieties of those that voted 'no'.'

Helmut Kohl, the German Chancellor, welcomed the French vote. But he noted: 'Our citizens are worried that Europe will develop in a centralised way and undermine national identities.'