MPs issue warning on EU constitution as Brown clears first hurdle to ratifying treaty

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Gordon Brown cleared the first hurdle on the way to ratifying the controversial EU reform treaty last night - securing Commons support with only a minor revolt among Labour backbenchers.

While the Prime Minister was flying back from a tour of China and India, the Government won a second reading on the EU (Amendment) Bill by 362 votes to 224, a comfortable majority of 138.

But 19 Labour MPs voted against the Bill to ratify the treaty, setting down a marker ahead of a marathon debate on the details of the Bill which will kick off next week.

The bigger test for Mr Brown is expected to come then, when MPs will once again try to create an opportunity to vote on demands for the treaty to be put to a referendum.

Failing to honour Labour's commitment to a referendum on the revived EU constitution would shatter voters' trust in politics, Brown was warned.

Labour MPs threatening the worst backbench revolt since Mr Brown became Premier reacted with fury after Speaker Michael Martin decided not to allow an amendment calling for a referendum.

Mr Brown was also criticised by the Tories for missing the first day of a debate on the Lisbon "reform treaty", which is expected to take 20 days.

Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said the Prime Minister - on the last day of a visit to China and India - "didn't even have the courage to turn up".

The case for a referendum rested "above all on the need of this House and this Government to honour commitments solemnly given", Mr Hague added.

"It's a matter of trust in politics that the referendum is held," he went on.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband denied a referendum was needed.

He said former premier Tony Blair had been wrong to promise a vote in 2004.

But he was attacked for saying the treaty was an "amending" document.

Many EU leaders admit it is the same as the 2005 constitution, on which Labour promised a referendum before it was rejected.

The Open Europe think-tank said yesterday they were "almost identical".

It will still create an EU president, give the EU its own "legal personality" like a country, strengthen EU courts and end Britain's veto in more than 40 areas.