Will Blair 'sneak in' new EU treaty?

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The Prime Minister flew to Poland to persuade EU leaders to back a plan for an "amending treaty" to make the enlarged EU work more effectively.

The move, however, was condemned as an attempt to force a constitution on Britain in everything but name.

Crucially, Mr Blair has ruled out a referendum on a new EU treaty for fear it will be blocked.

Instead, Downing Street confirmed yesterday that it would simply be ratified by Parliament.

Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said: "Any treaty that transfers power from Britain to Brussels should be subject to a referendum. Tony Blair promised that this would happen."

France and the Netherlands rejected the original blueprint in polls in 2005.

Four years ago, in a ballot organised by the Daily Mail, nine out of ten Britons demanded a say on the issue.

The "amending treaty" is likely to be a slimmed-down version of the controversial constitution rejected two years ago, but could still see Britain forced to give up voting powers and the right to veto crucial areas of EU policy.

Downing Street refused to discuss what would be in the charter.

Opposition MPs believe the treaty will herald a fundamental transfer of power to Brussels, including a permanent EU president, permanent foreign minister and a massive extension of majority voting in areas such as justice and home affairs and give the EU the right to sign treaties for the first time in history.