Red lines 'getting stronger' says Millband as MPs call for tougher stance on treaty

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David Miliband will come under pressure to toughen Britain's stance on Europe

Britain's 'red lines' over a new EU treaty are not only holding but getting stronger, Foreign Secretary David Miliband said today.

Mr Miliband will come under fierce pressure from his own MPs tomorrow to toughen Britain's stance on the treaty.

They will warn him that the 'red lines' it contains to protect our interests will be worthless in five years.

Their claims come at the start of a crucial week in which Gordon Brown is expected to endorse the document in Lisbon.

But Mr Miliband declared today: "The red lines are clear - and getting stronger."

He believes that the red lines on four key policy areas will exempt Britain from the federalist impact of the treaty.

Some of his colleagues though say the deal has been re-written behind closed doors to ensure these protections are 'rubbed out' within five years.

Labour MPs on the Commons European Scrutiny Committee confirmed that they will grill the Foreign Secretary about their concerns.

The committee's chairman Michael Connarty said the European Court wants to apply EU law across the board and will not accept a permanent exemption for the UK.

Speaking on the BBC's World this Weekend, he said: 'What's happened is that there has been a redraft.

'It contains protocols that weren't there before which actually are much tougher for the UK and actually threaten those red lines very quickly.'

The guarantees secured by Tony Blair cover social, foreign and home affairs, and the Charter of Fundamental Rights.

But Mr Connarty said the new text requires Britain to sign up to EU-wide measures on justice and home affairs within five years or face no cooperation from other members.

'It's a bullying tactic and it's entirely unacceptable and the Prime Minister should say he won't accept it.

'Our red lines will basically be rubbed out five years after getting them,' he said.

The committee will apparently use Tuesday's session with Mr Miliband to demand last-minute changes.

Mr Brown leaves for Portugal on Thursday to finalise the treaty with other EU leaders.

He has said: 'If we achieve the red lines… then we will be prepared to accept it.'

Last night, however, he came under attack on another two fronts over his attitude to Europe.

EU Commission boss Jose Manuel Barroso claimed that Britain's opt-outs on policing and judicial co- operation would undermine the EU's fight against terrorism.

He added: 'Sometimes it appears as a contradiction. Britain, which is always first to ask for global action against terrorism, appears not to be as committed as other members of the EU when it comes to Europe. This surprises me.' Tory leader

David Cameron accused Mr Brown of a breach of trust if he failed to honour Labour's manifesto pledge to give the voters a say on the document in a referendum.

Ministers insist a referendum is unnecessary because the treaty is significantly different from the constitution that was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.

But last week the European Scrutiny Committee brought out a hard-hitting report that warned the treaty was 'substantially' the same as the constitution.

Mr Cameron wrote to Mr Brown yesterday, saying: 'This is indeed a matter of trust with the electorate. So, will you now honour the promise you made to the British people to hold a referendum?'

In an article for the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Cameron added: 'I think people are tired of being treated like fools by this Government, whether over the decision to cancel the general election, the kind of tax con we saw again in this week's Pre-Budget Report, or the fake arguments in defence of the European constitution.'

An ICM poll for the same newspaper found that two out of three voters want a referendum, and in the event of a vote nearly half – 47 per cent – would vote against the treaty. Only 29 per cent supported it.

The Euro Referendum Bandwagon

Demand is growing across Europe for a public vote on the EU reform treaty.

Denmark and Holland in particular have organised and vocal campaigns for a referendum.

A 'no vote' in the Netherlands helped scupper the EU constitution two years ago. Now, the anti-treaty sentiment runs high.

Many Dutch feel the government is trying to swindle them out of a vote because it won't like the outcome.

Three opposition parties, including two pro-EU ones (the Greens and the Left-liberal D66) and the strongly Eurosceptic Socialists, have already said they plan to propose a bill demanding a public vote.

If some Labour members of the ruling coalition decide to follow suit, the proposal could gather sufficient support to go through.

EU diplomats fear that if the Netherlands does hold a vote, there would be a 'chain reaction' in the UK and Denmark.

In the June 2005 referendum, some 62 per cent of Dutch voters rejected the EU Constitution and observers believe the result would be very similar this time.

In Denmark, the campaign is being led by former labour leader Neil Kinnock's daughter-in-law.

Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the leader of Denmark's main opposition party, the Social Democrats, supports the treaty. But she is willing to put it to the vote because polls in her country show just 35 per cent of voters agree.

'There was no question that the old treaty should be put to a vote. We need to see the new treaty and conduct a similar exercise,' said Miss Thorning-Schmidt, who is married to Mr Kinnock's son Stephen.

Poland is also deeply unhappy. 'We are not happy with the current text, because elements we wanted are not in there,' said one senior diplomat. 'We are not yet ready to approve this treaty in its current form.'

Leaders from the EU's 27 member states meet in Lisbon on Thursday to try to ratify the draft. It is considered vital by France, Germany and many other countries to ensure the smooth running of the organisation.

 

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