EU treaty is not dead, insists Brown in wake of Irish 'no' vote

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The Bill ratifying the treaty in the UK was expected to complete its passage through the House of Lords later today, with the Royal Assent issued tonight or tomorrow morning.

At Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Brown insisted that Britain respected the vote in Ireland, but said that the Dublin government had asked for time to consider its next move.

Defiant: Brown during Prime Minister's Questions today

'We respect the decision of the Irish,' Mr Brown told MPs in the Commons chamber.

'They have asked to have more time to discuss what their proposals will be to deal with this situation.

'They have not suggested either that they wish to postpone the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty for other countries or that they wish to stall the whole process.'

Tory leader David Cameron said that the Irish voters had already expressed their view and he accused Mr Brown and other European leaders of trying to pressurise Dublin into a second referendum to reverse the result.

'Which part of "no" doesn't the Prime Minister understand?' Mr Cameron demanded.

'The Prime Minister says he doesn't want to bully Ireland, but doesn't he understand that continuing with the ratification process is doing precisely that?'

Tory peers have tabled a last-ditch amendment in the Lords to delay ratification of the treaty until October, although it is expected to be defeated by the Government with the backing of the Liberal Democrats.

Meanwhile Tory Bill Cash today applied to the High Court for a judicial ruling that the treaty cannot be ratified after the Irish 'no' vote.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has rejected calls for lengthy consideration of the treaty.

EU leaders meet tomorrow in Brussels to consider their next move.

Britain has made it clear that the treaty must be ratified by all 27 member states if it is to be implemented and that it will oppose any attempt to move to a 'two-speed' Europe, where some members go ahead with the treaty while others, such as Ireland, are left behind.