Opposition parties welcome EU referendum move

The opposition parties have welcomed the Prime Minister's decision to hold a referendum over the proposed EU treaty.

The Conservatives warmly greeted an opportunity to campaign openly against the EU treaty, while the Europhile Lib Dems were keen to stress the positive benefits of more closely integrated and expanded European community.

In Parliament today, Tory leader Michael Howard pledged to lead a vigorous campaign for a nationwide 'No' vote.

The Tories described today's announcement as a "dramatic and humiliating U-turn" from Mr Blair.

The Labour leader had previously stated that there would be no need for a referendum as negotiations had merely been concerned with a "tidying up exercise".

At the dispatch box today, Mr Howard mocked a declaration from the Prime Minister at the Labour Party conference that he had "no reverse gear".

"You could hear the gears grinding as he came before us, lip quivering once again, to eat all those words which he has pronounced to emphatically for so long. Who will ever trust him again?" he said.

Mr Howard went on to repeat his call for an early vote on the issue - not one delayed by months of Parliamentary wrangling, and until after a general election.

"There is no case whatsoever for asking Parliament to spend months on ratification legislation before obtaining the consent of the people. After all he held referendums for the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly before Parliament had passed the legislation and while many of the details remained unclear. He did it. On this constitution all the details will be clear," Mr Howard said.

Calling for an "honest and open debate", Mr Howard slammed the EU for "failing to face up to the realities of the 21st century". The constitution would mean greater centralisation, more regulation and less flexibility, he claimed.

The pro-European Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy welcomed today's announcement as an "overdue decision".

"I hope the coordination of the European referendum campaign will be more slick and polished than was the co-ordination that led to today's announcement," he said.

"The referendum must be based on an unloaded, unbiased question - one which will be subject to confirmation by the Electoral Commission."

Mr Kennedy added: "This is surely an historic opportunity to at last settle an issue that has bedevilled two generations of British politics. When it comes to Britain's future in Europe, it will come down to those of us to those who want to live and let live and those who will be exposed as wanting to live and then let die."

(gmcg)