Hague calls for EU treaty referendum

The shadow foreign secretary has called for a referendum on the EU treaty, arguing that Labour must honour its manifesto commitment to a vote.

In a speech to the Policy Exchange think tank on Tuesday, William Hague said the treaty was "a relabelled constitution".

The controversial EU draft constitution was rejected by Dutch and French voters in 2006.

Hague said: "It is our belief that this treaty should not be ratified without the British people's agreement in a referendum for two reasons.

"First, because the referendum question goes to the heart of the issue of trust in politics. And, secondly, because such a fundamental change to powers and roles of nation states such as ours vis-a-vis the European Union should require the British people's explicit consent in a national vote."

He quoted Labour's 2005 general election manifesto, which said: "We will put it to the British people in a referendum and campaign whole-heartedly for a 'yes' vote."

The government argues that the treaty is substantially different from the failed constitution, but is needed to bring about necessary institutional reform in the EU.

But Hague quoted a string of EU leaders who said the package was unchanged, including the original author of the draft constitution - Valery Giscard d'Estaing - who described the changes as "more cosmetic than real".

Hague said the treaty had been made deliberately complex as a "disguise".

"The heart of the government's argument is a near meaningless fig leaf," he said.

"It is clear, then, that this is the constitution by another name. Its effects on the EU and our relationship to it are wide-ranging and profound."

He said it would institute an EU foreign minister in "all but name", would give the EU a single legal personality, would give the union new power over criminal justice agreements between countries.

And he concluded: "What does Gordon Brown think people will make of his talk of consultation if he won't consult them on a question of fundamental importance to this country's future, on which the overwhelming majority of the British people want to have their promised say?

"The answer is simple: trust the people and let them decide."