Straw hopes Spanish 'yes' to EU constitution will sway UK voters

EUROPEAN Union officials yesterday praised Spain’s approval of the EU constitution, while Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, said it may help to win over sceptical Britons so that they too will approve the charter in the UK referendum.

Mr Straw said he can see momentum building for the pro-constitution camp.

"As one country after another votes [for the constitution], I think it will help to reassure the electorate in Britain," he said on arrival at an EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels.

The British government has yet to set a date for its referendum on the constitution that the EU leaders signed in Rome on 29 October, 2004.

EU officials were disappointed by Spain’s low turnout, at just 42 per cent.

They said voter apathy may hinder winning support in the nine other EU nations that will also hold referendums.

Just over 76 per cent of participating Spaniards voted for the charter, but the turnout was the lowest since democracy was restored after the death of the dictator General Francisco Franco in 1975.

"We are all worried about low voter turnout," said Margot Wallstrom, the vice president of the European Commission, who is in charge of generating public support for the charter.

Apart from Britain, the constitution faces uphill struggles in referendums in France, Poland and the Czech Republic. It must be ratified in all 25 EU countries to take effect. If approved, the first Europe-wide constitution will come into force in 2007.

Miguel Angel Moratinos, Spain’s foreign minister, said Spain had "done its duty for Europe" with a "strong yes".

Gerhard Schrder, the German chancellor, spoke of an "unequivocal yes", adding: "Europe needs this constitution. Spain has pressed ahead with a good example."

Most of the nine countries still to hold a referendum have yet to announce a date. So far, legislative votes have approved it in Hungary, Slovenia and Lithuania.

"We’ve always believed that the EU constitution is in the interests of all the peoples of the European Union," said Mr Straw.