Considering that this would be the first constitution that the UK would ever get, its not getting much publicity.
(We don't actually have a constitution)
Britneys problem knee was easier to spot.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3811101.stm
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EU constitution battle stepped up
Tony Blair will be flying to meet his fellow EU leaders
The Tories are seeking to turn up the heat on Tony Blair as he prepares for the crunch phase of talks on the proposed EU constitution.
The UK prime minister is due to join 24 fellow EU leaders on Thursday as they try to hammer out a deal on the plans for the future shape of the EU.
Ministers say they will veto the treaty if key British interests are not met.
In a Commons debate on Wednesday, the Tories will say Mr Blair has no mandate to sign up to the constitution.
Listening?
The success in the European elections of the UK Independence Party, which wants British withdrawal from the EU, has put more pressure on Mr Blair.
On Tuesday, he said he was not "deaf to the voice of the electorate" but passionately believed Britain should be at the heart of Europe.
The Tories say Blair has no mandate to sign a treaty
The government argues the constitution is needed to make the EU work effectively now it has 25 members, not 15 as before.
Ministers say the constitution will not fundamentally change Britain's relationship with the EU, although in a dramatic U-turn they have now promised a referendum on any treaty.
Fundamental change?
But the Conservatives say only nation states have constitutions and Britons do not want to be part of a country called Europe. They also claim Britain will lose its veto in a number of key policy areas.
As MPs prepared to debate the issue, a Tory spokesman told BBC News Online: "Tony Blair has no mandate, particularly after the elections, to turn up to Brussels and sign a constitution."
Ministers say they will defend their "red lines" for keeping the British veto on issues such as taxation, key areas of criminal justice, foreign policy and defence.
If it's not in Britain's interest, then the prime minister won't sign up to it
Peter Hain
Commons leader
At his monthly news conference on Tuesday, Mr Blair said: "It's got to be absolutely clear that there's no way we are going to have tax harmonisation or other people deciding on our tax rates."
Mr Blair has said another area he will focus on at the negotiations is the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
There is some UK concern that concessions that ensured the European Court of Justice could not interfere with British employment laws have not been included in the draft text of the constitution.
Mr Blair said: "We are not prepared to have anything that takes away the ability to make sure our industrial laws in this country remain as flexible as they are now.
"We think that has stood us in good stead."
Battle?
The prime minister said he was "optimistic" agreement could be reached, although other countries still had problems over the weighting of votes in the European Council.
On Wednesday, Commons leader Peter Hain said the constitution should make the EU more democratically accountable and better able to protect people's interests in their daily lives.
Mr Kennedy wants a concerted pro-European effort
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "If it's not in Britain's interest, then the prime minister won't sign up to it. It's as simple as that."
There are reports that France and Germany have complained they have already made enough concessions to Britain.
But Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, who is chairing the talks, says he is confident of securing an agreement.
Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy said on Tuesday that failure to promote the European ideal to the British public had been "one of the great failings of the Blair premiership".
"I hope we will see a much more pronounced all-party, and indeed non-party, effort made to persuade people of the merits of Europe," he said.
"I don't think it is too late to sell Europe. I think that time is running out, however, and the challenge has not been made easier after so many years of delay and prevarication, particularly by the prime minister."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3809917.stm
(We don't actually have a constitution)
Britneys problem knee was easier to spot.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3811101.stm
--------------------------------
EU constitution battle stepped up
Tony Blair will be flying to meet his fellow EU leaders
The Tories are seeking to turn up the heat on Tony Blair as he prepares for the crunch phase of talks on the proposed EU constitution.
The UK prime minister is due to join 24 fellow EU leaders on Thursday as they try to hammer out a deal on the plans for the future shape of the EU.
Ministers say they will veto the treaty if key British interests are not met.
In a Commons debate on Wednesday, the Tories will say Mr Blair has no mandate to sign up to the constitution.
Listening?
The success in the European elections of the UK Independence Party, which wants British withdrawal from the EU, has put more pressure on Mr Blair.
On Tuesday, he said he was not "deaf to the voice of the electorate" but passionately believed Britain should be at the heart of Europe.
The Tories say Blair has no mandate to sign a treaty
The government argues the constitution is needed to make the EU work effectively now it has 25 members, not 15 as before.
Ministers say the constitution will not fundamentally change Britain's relationship with the EU, although in a dramatic U-turn they have now promised a referendum on any treaty.
Fundamental change?
But the Conservatives say only nation states have constitutions and Britons do not want to be part of a country called Europe. They also claim Britain will lose its veto in a number of key policy areas.
As MPs prepared to debate the issue, a Tory spokesman told BBC News Online: "Tony Blair has no mandate, particularly after the elections, to turn up to Brussels and sign a constitution."
Ministers say they will defend their "red lines" for keeping the British veto on issues such as taxation, key areas of criminal justice, foreign policy and defence.
If it's not in Britain's interest, then the prime minister won't sign up to it
Peter Hain
Commons leader
At his monthly news conference on Tuesday, Mr Blair said: "It's got to be absolutely clear that there's no way we are going to have tax harmonisation or other people deciding on our tax rates."
Mr Blair has said another area he will focus on at the negotiations is the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
There is some UK concern that concessions that ensured the European Court of Justice could not interfere with British employment laws have not been included in the draft text of the constitution.
Mr Blair said: "We are not prepared to have anything that takes away the ability to make sure our industrial laws in this country remain as flexible as they are now.
"We think that has stood us in good stead."
Battle?
The prime minister said he was "optimistic" agreement could be reached, although other countries still had problems over the weighting of votes in the European Council.
On Wednesday, Commons leader Peter Hain said the constitution should make the EU more democratically accountable and better able to protect people's interests in their daily lives.
Mr Kennedy wants a concerted pro-European effort
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "If it's not in Britain's interest, then the prime minister won't sign up to it. It's as simple as that."
There are reports that France and Germany have complained they have already made enough concessions to Britain.
But Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, who is chairing the talks, says he is confident of securing an agreement.
Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy said on Tuesday that failure to promote the European ideal to the British public had been "one of the great failings of the Blair premiership".
"I hope we will see a much more pronounced all-party, and indeed non-party, effort made to persuade people of the merits of Europe," he said.
"I don't think it is too late to sell Europe. I think that time is running out, however, and the challenge has not been made easier after so many years of delay and prevarication, particularly by the prime minister."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3809917.stm
