Conservatives renege on "cast-iron guarantee" of Lisbon Treaty referendum

Conservative leader David Cameron has dropped his party's commitment to holding a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty if elected to government.

Yesterday, the Czech Republic became the final EU country to ratify the treaty, scuppering the Conservative campaign for a referendum, as the treaty will now become law.

Cameron is to set out a tough new stance on Europe at a meeting later today, amid anger from the right of the party, who believe he has broken his word. In an article for the Sun in 2007, Cameron wrote: "Today, I will give this cast-iron guarantee: If I become PM a Conservative government will hold a referendum on any EU treaty that emerges from these negotiations.

"No treaty should be ratified without consulting the British people in a referendum."

Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said that the Conservatives had been left no choice after the Czech ratification of the treaty, and that it was a "bad day for democracy".

Today, Cameron is expected to pledge to repatriate social and employment powers to Britain, effectively restoring the British opt-out from the social chapter. This would require the agreement of all EU member states, as the treaties containing the social chapter must be amended unanimously.

Eurosceptic members of the Conservative party are calling for a vote on the UK-EU relationship. Writing in the Daily Mail, David Davis said a vote should be held within three months of a general election, with the aim of "recovering control over our criminal justice, asylum and immigration policies" and a "robust opt-out of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights".

Foreign secretary David Miliband accused Cameron of dishonesty, saying: "The fact is you can't simply opt out of treaty obligations because to do so you need the agreement of the 26 other member states.

"David Cameron's position on Europe is false and dangerous."

Edward Davey, Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman said that Cameron "is not fit for government" if he could not make his position on Europe clear.

The treaty will come into force on 1 December.

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