Straw fights to keep Britain on EU stage

Jack Straw was fighting on three fronts today to prevent a renewed German-French axis leaving Britain on Europe's sidelines.

The Foreign Secretary was ambushed as he struggled to defend crucial "red line" policy pledges in crunch talks on the European constitution in Brussels.

While he was pressing for lastminute revisions to protect British interests in the draft treaty, the French and Germans suddenly revived plans for a multi-speed European Union - with Britain in the slow lane.

The proposed deal, which infuriated British diplomats, would allow a core group of countries to forge ahead with closer cooperation on tax, judicial affairs and social security. Britain would be given an opt-out.

Their move came after two days of jovial but pointed sniping between Mr Straw and his opposite numbers in the big two EU players, Germany's Joschka Fischer and French foreign minister Michel Barnier.

In one extraordinary exchange, Mr Straw said he felt he was being bitten by "mosquitoes" at the summit.

Mr Barnier retorted by comparing Britain to a tsetse fly which was in danger of "putting Europe to sleep". And as talks broke up last night, he launched a fresh barb, saying: "It is not useful to keep repeating positions." If Britain persisted in raising objections, Mr Barnier said, fresh talks called on Monday to sort out the treaty would be "useless".

The exchanges came after Mr Straw found himself isolated on two key fronts. On legal and judicial policy, he was forced to concede that Britain may have to abandon its veto on new ideas from Brussels and accept majority votes - as long as there is an as yet undefined "safety brake".

Euro-sceptics will claim this could see Britain forced to give up centuriesold traditions such as habeas corpus.

Earlier, Mr Straw faced opposition to his demand that the draft treaty be tightened to make clear that the controversial Charter of Rights will have no legal force.

Downing Street has repeatedly promised Tony Blair will not sign the constitution if it threatens Britain's powers over taxation, foreign policy, defence and social security.

The latest rows are embarrassing because in December, when previous talks collapsed after a row over voting rights involving Spain and Poland, Foreign Office officials claimed Britain had been getting its way on all the key issues. That now looks to have been over-optimistic.