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  Blair Expected to Offer Britons EU Referendum
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ContributorSherlock Holmes (a retired OC public servant collecting his pension) 
Last EditedSherlock Holmes (a retired OC public servant collecting his pension)  Apr 19, 2004 09:43pm
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CategoryNews
MediaNewspaper - New York Times
News DateMonday, April 19, 2004 06:00:00 AM UTC0:0
DescriptionLONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to announce plans on Tuesday for a referendum on an EU constitution -- a policy U-turn that may decide his future and put pressure on other countries for a similar vote.

Blair, who declared only a few months ago he had ``no reverse gear,'' would make a statement to parliament at 12:30 p.m. (7:30 a.m. EDT), officials said.

Until now, Blair has said the planned constitution posed no threat to British control of vital policy areas and therefore required no public vote.

Opinion polls show Britons are highly wary of closer integration with the European Union and the issue has divided governments, costing numerous political careers in the last three decades.

A YouGov poll in the top-selling Sun newspaper on Monday showed 53 percent of Britons would vote ``No'' to a constitution and that only 16 percent would vote ``Yes.''

But Blair is apparently betting a promise of a vote -- a ``No'' in any EU state would hold up or possibly even scupper the charter --- will take the steam out of the issue.

He is expected to call a general election in about a year, and aides suggested he may be planning to hold the referendum only after being safely elected for a third term.

That would anger the opposition Conservatives, who oppose a European constitution as a threat to Britain's sovereignty and have challenged Blair's Labour government to hold a referendum.

``NO CASE FOR DELAY''

``There is no case for delaying any further,'' said Conservative leader Michael Howard. ``An early referendum would end uncertainty and show clear direction.''

Blair's spokesman signaled there would be no referendum soon. He said even if a deal was struck, parliament would have to scrutinize it for months from late this year before any referendum.

The spokesman denied any announcement to hold a referendum meant Blair now feared the constitution would challenge British sovereignty. ``Any const
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