Cameron calls for vote on EU treaty
Updated on 22 October 2007
Tory leader David Cameron bluntly warned the prime minister today to "let the people decide" in a referendum on the European reform treaty.
Reporting back to MPs on the outcome of the Lisbon summit, Mr Brown insisted he had negotiated a deal that defended Britain's national interest.
He confirmed that the Government would oppose any further EU institutional change for the lifetime of this parliament and the next.
And he stressed ministers would only agree a final text of the EU reform treaty in December if all the UK's protections were included.
'I've got a motto for you: let the people decide'David Cameron
But Mr Cameron mocked him for breaking a manifesto commitment and not mentioning the "r-word" once.
He said: "This treaty gets rid of the veto in 60 areas, including energy, transport and self employment law.
"You've given up on the veto but you say it's okay because you've got rid of the (EU) motto. Well I've got a motto for you: let the people decide."
In a statement on the outcome of the summit, Mr Brown said, to Tory jeers, the earlier constitution had been abandoned and promised that legislation ratifying the new treaty would be subject to "fullest" debate in parliament.
Mr Brown side-stepped the challenge of granting Labour MPs a free vote, but said MPs would have to approve any move to further Qualified Majority Voting (QMV) within the decision-making European Council.
The PM also accused the Tory leader of saying nothing about the long-term agenda for Europe.
"Is it not remarkable after six years of debate about institutions, not one government in the rest of Europe, not one of 27, supports your opposition to the amending treaty?" he demanded.
"Is it not remarkable also that there is one Government, Ireland - constitutionally obliged to do so - that thinks the issues justify a referendum now?
"And is it not also remarkable that in your own shadow cabinet those members who were there in 1992 all voted against a referendum on a more far-reaching treaty in Maastricht?"
Mr Brown insisted Britain had an opt in on all the important issues.
He accused Tories of being not just against the treaty, but membership of the EU - warning that withdrawal would trigger years of economic instability.
