Tory pressure over EU stance

The British Government was under pressure last night to publish a White Paper setting out its negotiating position for the European Inter- Governmental Conference, writes Colin Brown.

Malcolm Rifkind, the Foreign Secretary, is expected to respond to the demands for the White Paper by Eurosceptic Tory MPs opening a Commons debate today.

Nicholas Budgen, a leading Tory backbench critic of the Maastricht Treaty, said: "It is important for the British people to be able to judge whether we have been successful in our negotiations. So often in the past we have gone into negotiations and conceded on every point."