Blair says referendum not needed on EU constitution

Tony Blair has ruled out a referendum on a new treaty to reform the European Union as ministers prepare for intense negotiations ahead of next week's EU summit.

Mr Blair had pledged to hold a referendum on the planned EU constitution in 2004 before the document was rejected by voters in France and Holland.

Yesterday No 10 insisted that the agreement expected to be sealed next week would lead only to an "amending treaty" that did not need to be approved at the polls.

But the Conservatives insisted that major reform of the EU should be approved by a referendum.

The German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who will chair the summit, is pressing for a deal which preserves much of the changes in the constitutional treaty, which floundered two years ago.

But Mr Blair's spokesman insisted: "This treaty should be an amending treaty. Previous amending treaties have not required a referendum and we do not believe that this treaty should have the characteristics of a constitution."

No 10 has laid down a series of "red lines" in next week's negotiations including insisting that no new laws overrule British common laws, police or courts.

They are also demanding that no reforms compromise Britain's independent foreign policy and seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Downing Street also ruled out anything that would change British labour and social law or alter the social security system.

Timothy Kirkhope, the leader of Britain's Conservative MEPs, said: "In the event of a transfer of more powers to the EU the British people should have the right to a referendum.

"No one under the age of 50 has ever voted on the issues of Europe. We need a referendum, not only on the Europe we want to see, but on the Europe we don't want to see."

It was claimed last night that the French President Nicolas Sarkozy was actively touting Mr Blair for the job of the first full-time EU president. The Financial Times claimed that M. Sarkozy had discussed the idea with other European leaders. But Downing Street insisted that Mr Blair had no interest in the job. A spokeswoman said: "The Prime Minister has made it clear that he is not going to return to front-line politics."