Minister for Europe, Keith Vaz, delivered a keynote speech to a meeting of European information officers in Loughborough on Friday.

In the speech, which came as last-minute diplomacy intensifies before next Thursday's inter-governmental conference, the minister set out both the benefits of EU membership for the UK and the government's objectives at the Nice summit. The speech signals growing government confidence over the European issue both to eurosceptics at home and to the French EU presidency and commission in Paris and Brussels.

Arguing that Britain has benefited from European union in terms of billions spent in the country's cities to secure jobs, Keith Vaz painted a picture of a strong Britain in a "wider Europe". Making the case for enlargement as a spur to reform in the EU's institutions, he said that a larger union "will bolster European security, present new trading opportunities for UK companies, and deliver increased prosperity to all regions" of the country.

In a clear indication of the government's objectives at the summit and as a shot across the bows of both the French EU presidency and the commission, the minister set out a stall for "a smaller and more efficient commission", "more power" in the vote-weighting for Britain at the EU council of ministers, more majority voting where "it will promote our interests" whilst retaining national vetoes "where it protects our interests" and a "flexible" multi-speed Europe.

"The negotiation will be tough. We will no doubt stay up all night, for two or even three nights. But we are determined to come home with a deal which will be good for Britain and good for Europe," he said.

The keynote speech follows Thursday's "bistro diplomacy" between the prime minister, Tony Blair, and French president Jacques Chirac. Emphasising their "common purpose" to reform the EU, both leaders nevertheless drew "red lines" not to be crossed in the tough negotiations that lie ahead. Tony Blair said that the UK would retain six key national vetoes, including the contentious areas of social security and taxation. And Jacques Chirac ruled out the loss of his country's veto on issues affecting French culture and services in the "complex negotiations" at Nice.