The new EU constitution will be one of Gordon Brown's first big tests as Prime Minister. Tony Blair gave away the UK rebate in exchange for platitudes at last year's EU summit. He now plans to give away more powers to Brussels at his final summit next weekend.

In the past two elections, Labour's manifesto has been very clear on EU constitutional change: "We will put it to the British people in a referendum and campaign whole-heartedly for a Yes vote." Yet Tony Blair's final act as Prime Minister seems set to break that promise.

The Government wants to avoid a referendum claiming the German proposals are just a 'treaty' rather then a constitution. Yet the new treaty apparently contains many of the same proposals as the rejected constitution. We do not know precisely as our Government are unwilling to discuss any details.

Like the constitution, which was rejected by the people of France and Holland two years ago, the new treaty seems set to create powerful new positions and institutions, making the central EU bodies more powerful in relation to member states.

The creation of a permanent EU President will lead to further centralisation; an EU Foreign Minister will reduce the UK