A plea by Basildon Council for a national referendum on the European Constitution has been rejected by Downing Street.

The council wrote to Prime Minister Tony Blair demanding to know why a poll was not being held into the proposed new constitution.

However, in a reply sent to council chief executive John Robb, an aide to Mr Blair said: "This Government believes that there is a strong case for a single, coherent constitution for the EU. In effect, the existing treaties already make up a constitutional structure.

"However they are overly complex and unclear.

"The Government does not believe that the Constitutional Treaty will lead to significant changes in the relationship between the EU and its citizens, or alter the position of member states as the basis of the union."

Published Wednesday November 26, 2003

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