In two key votes, MPs have rejected calls for a referendum on the European Reform Treaty.

A Conservative move to force a national poll was rejected by 311 votes to 248, a majority in support of Gordon Brown's government of 63.

And a second vote on an amendment put forward by Labour eurosceptic Ian Davidson was also thrown out, by 311 votes to 247.

Earlier, the three party leaders clashed over the need for a referendum on the treaty. 

The prime minister said that only the Republic of Ireland was having a referendum on the treaty, which differed "significantly" from the constitution that had been rejected in French and Dutch polls.

However Conservative leader David Cameron asked whether the prime minister thought he would win a referendum if it were to be held.

"If this was a constitutional treaty we would hold a referendum, if this was a vote on the euro we would hold a referendum, but the constitutional concept was abandoned and that's why we are not having one," Brown said.

The prime minister again called on Cameron to say whether he would commit to a post-ratification referendum.

The Tory leader said that the Labour government's failure to hold a referendum was contributing to a sense of "broken politics" in Britain.

Lib Dems

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg accused Brown of "colluding with the anti-European Conservatives to block the in-out referendum that the British people really want".

"He talks about leadership but the fact is that he's bottled it," Clegg said.

However, the prime minister attacked Clegg over recommending his MPs abstain.

"There is not much principle in recommending abstention," said Brown.

"We will lead the agenda about the future of Europe.

"We will lead on the environment, we will lead on international development, we will lead on the approach to globalisation and we will lead on security."

An amendment to the bill paving the way for a two-question referendum on both the treaty and Britain's EU membership was also tabled by the Labour MP Ian Davidson.

Debate

In the debate foreign secretary David Miliband said that referendums should only be called "where there's a fundamental shift in the balance of power between this nation state" and the EU.

However shadow foreign secretary William Hague said: "A referendum should be held on this issue because a referendum was promised.

"It was promised by the government, it was promised by the Opposition and it was promised by the Liberal Democrat party as well."

Leading rebel and former Labour minister Frank Field agreed that "whether this is a constitution or a treaty, most people thought they were going to get a vote on what we are voting for today".

Davidson claimed that: "One of the real reasons why we're not having a referendum in Britain is because they don't have confidence in the people producing the right result."

But Conservative rebel and former chancellor Ken Clarke argued that: "I actually believe in parliamentary democracy and I think this ought to be determined by Parliament."