Ex-ministers in treaty stance probe

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The move increases the prospect of disciplinary action against Frank Field, Kate Hoey, Graham Stringer and Gisela Stuart for backing a campaign to pressure fellow Labour MPs in marginal seats.

They were given a dressing down by Chief Whip Geoff Hoon at a weekly meeting of Labour MPs and told their actions would be considered by the party's Parliamentary Committee.

The four MPs have already been threatened by Mr Hoon with having the party whip withdrawn over their involvement with the I Want A Referendum (IWAR) group.

It is organising unofficial polls in marginal seats on whether to put the ratification of the treaty, signed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown in Lisbon, to a public vote.

Labour MPs in vulnerable seats are said to be furious that colleagues are giving their backing to a campaign which threatens their survival.

But the four MPs facing disciplinary action argue that Labour must stick to its commitment in its 2005 General Election manifesto to hold a referendum on the EU Constitution.

The Government maintains a plebiscite is unnecessary as the new treaty is substantially different from the abandoned constitution.