Straw defends EU direction

Mr Straw wants a stronger defence of cooperation with Europe

Pro-European Britons must not be complacent in the face of Tory demands for a referendum on the proposed EU Constitution, Jack Straw will warn.

The foreign secretary will insist 1,000 years of British nationhood is not at risk because the proposed constitution is a "development and not a fundamental change" in UK relations with Europe.

Ahead of a speech in Chester, Mr Straw conceded that the British Government was only 95% happy with the proposals as they stood.

The Conservative campaign against the proposed constitution will take the form of a nationwide petition demanding a popular vote.

Mr Straw contrasted the current campaign with Tory leader Iain Duncan's efforts against the Maastricht treaty when he was a backbencher under a Conservative government in the early 1990s.

Rebel

"Iain Duncan Smith almost destroyed his own party on that basis," the foreign secretary told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"He said at the time we had to have a referendum on the Maastricht treaty of 1992 because it represented such a threat to our sovereignty it was the beginning of a federal European superstate.

"Then [former Tory leader] William Hague used identical language in arguments about the Nice treaty in the years 2000/1: this was three steps towards a European Federal superstate.

"In neither case has that happened even though both those treaties are still in force."

In his speech Mr Straw will say it would be dangerously complacent to laugh off the "more comical exaggerations" of opponents.

Co-operation?

The foreign secretary will say this is the reality of a common foreign policy in contrast to mythology about the loss of sovereignty.

But Mr Straw says those who believe in the EU need to work harder and speak louder.

The prime minister has already said he will not hold a referendum because the plans do not cross the government's "red lines" over issues such as tax and defence.

The Conservatives have vowed to fight the constitution as they believe it will damage British interests and significantly change the way Britain is governed.

On a separate note he maintained his visit to Tehran with his French and German counterparts brought about a significant change in Iran's response to the international concerns over its nuclear programme.

If Iran carries out the undertaking it has given, Britain and its European partners will have helped to make the world less dangerous, Mr Straw will say.