Britain should be given special opt-out deals from EU, says author of European constitution

The architect of the despised European Constitution has reopened old wounds after he attacked Britain for 'hampering' the creation of an EU superstate.

Valery Giscard d'Estaing, who spearheaded the drafting of the constitution - only to see it soundly rejected by his own countrymen - said the UK should be given a 'special status' to prevent it blocking closer integration.

The former French president said Britain's attempts to curb the expansion of power in Brussels was 'exhausting for all concerned, and disappointing'.

The arch Europhile, who was speaking at a conference in Westminster on Britain's future relationship with Europe, has always been committed to a continental-wide 'superstate'.

As the president of the EU convention he played a key role in drafting the constitution - which was then dumped by French and Dutch voters in 2005.

It was revived last year as the Lisbon Treaty, which Labour forced through Parliament in March. There was outrage as ministers broke a manifesto commitment to hold a referendum on surrendering powers to Brussels.

M Giscard d'Estaing insisted closer integration of the EU's 27 member states would continue.

But he suggested Britain should have a 'special status' which would maintain close links with the EU but prevent us from ' acting as a brake'.

He condemned the UK for its 'permanently antagonistic standpoint' towards the EU.

The EU Treaty creates a permanent European president, a foreign affairs minister and a legal personality for the EU which would allow it to sign international treaties on Britain's behalf.

Despite being rejected by Irish voters in June, the EU has vowed to push ahead with it.

The collapsing value of sterling against the euro could see Britain paying £8billion extra into EU coffers. Pressure group Open Europe said our contribution could rise to £47billion by 2013.