Brown in Commons battle on EU treaty as Labour MPs seek referendum

Published on Sunday 20 January 2008 21:01

GORDON Brown, the Prime Minister, faces his first major test over the controversial Lisbon European treaty at Westminster tonight after an all-party Commons committee said the agreement's provisions on foreign policy were no different from the abandoned EU Constitution.

A group of 18 Labour back-benchers, led by Ian Davidson, the MP for Glasgow South West, will force a vote on an amendment calling for a referendum on the document.

The group claims the conclusions of the Commons foreign affairs committee, published yesterday, show the government's election-manifesto promise of a national vote on the issue should also apply to the treaty. The MPs accused the government of publicly downplaying the importance of some new EU institutions and roles.

Mr Brown and the Cabinet argue that no referendum is needed as the treaty is not a constitutional matter.

But Mr Davidson has put down an amendment demanding a referendum. While he accepted he was unlikely to win the vote – despite Tory support – he said the move would begin a campaign for a plebiscite.

Mr Davidson, who claims several government ministers privately support his campaign, said: "This is the start of the battle rather than the end of the war.''

However, David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, said that the document did not need to be put to a public vote: "The reform treaty is there for parliament to scrutinise and then to pass.

"Obviously, people will put down an amendment and parliament will have to decide. But I don't believe that this treaty meets the bar of fundamental constitutional reform that should be the basis of having a referendum."