Clegg will block EU referendum bid

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Asked if the Lib Dems would allow the Commons to vote through a referendum by abstaining, he replied: "I certainly hope not. No."

The Bill to ratify the treaty, signed by Gordon Brown in Lisbon last October, comfortably cleared its first Commons hurdle on Monday night, despite a revolt by 19 Labour MPs.

The vote clears the way for weeks of detailed debate which ministers hope will expose deep divisions within the Tory Party on Europe.

But Labour rebels who oppose the treaty have warned that the Government could face a much bigger revolt when it comes to the expected vote on an amendment to hold a referendum.

In those circumstances, the votes of the Liberal Democrats could be decisive.

Interviewed on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Clegg said he agreed with the Government that the treaty was very different from the abandoned EU constitution on which Labour had promised a referendum.

He said the Lib Dems would continue to press for a referendum on the principle of Britain's continued membership of the EU.

"We will see what the parliamentary mathematics is when the amendment comes down the track in a few weeks' time," he said.

"We would vote against a referendum on the treaty and vote in accordance with our long-held position that the real referendum which needs to be had is whether we stay in the European Union or not."