Labour rebels demand EU referendum

The Government's problems over the new blueprint for the European Union deepened yesterday when 24 Labour MPs demanded a referendum on it.

The MPs signed a Commons motion which rejected claims by ministers that the convention chaired by Valery Giscard d'Estaing, the former French president, was merely a "tidying-up exercise". Their act of defiance will fuel demands by Eurosceptic newspapers and the Tories for a referendum on the new EU treaty which will flow from the convention.

The motion, tabled by Kelvin Hopkins, Labour MP for Luton North, warned that the proposed treaty would mark a "fundamental step" in the evolution of the EU. "The British people should be made fully aware of the significance of such a step for the future of Britain and for Europe," it said. Urging the Government to commit itself to a referendum, the MPs added: "A decision by Britain to support or oppose a new treaty would not have legitimacy without the genuine consent of the British people." The motion has been signed by three former ministers - Denzil Davies, Mark Fisher and Alan Williams. Another former minister, Frank Field, is to bring in a private member's Bill calling for a referendum.

Ministers insist the proposals that will emerge from the convention will not be significant enough to justify a referendum. But they have been thrown on to the defensive. Yesterday Downing Street denied newspaper reports that the new treaty would force it to hand over control of asylum and borders to the EU.