Blair looks at plan for EU referendum

Tony Blair is studying fresh plans to hold a "make or break" referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union.

The Prime Minister has been told by key Downing Street advisers that staging a popular vote would outflank the Tories on Europe. He has constantly ruled out calling a referendum - but only over the EU's proposed new constitution.

Influential figures at No10 claim he is in danger of handing the Tories a key weapon in the run-up to the General Election if he holds his line because the Opposition will tap into anti-Brussels sentiment. Some Cabinet ministers, said to include Foreign Secretary-Jack Straw, believe Mr Blair must tackle the issue.

Holding a referendum with the question "should Britain continue its membership of the European Union?" would concentrate voters' minds, they argue. However little most Britons trust the EU, and however much they object to the new constitution or the euro, only a minority would be expected to favour pulling out.

Senior Labour figures claim that after such a verdict Europe would be effectively "put to bed". Mr Blair is said to be "unpersuaded", but to have not ruled the move out.