Tory MPs blast Cameron over Lisbon U-turn

David Cameron was hit with a backlash today over moves to ditch holding a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty if the Tories win power.

A senior Tory MP warned him that his honour and trustworthiness was on the line over his party's Europe policy.

The Tory leader gave a "cast-iron guarantee" two years ago that the Conservatives would order a poll on the treaty if they were in government.

The Lisbon Treaty overcame a further hurdle this morning when the Czech constitutional court ruled it was fully in line with the Czech constitution.

Faced with all EU 27 nations ratifying it within days as Czech president Vaclav Klaus appeared to give up his battle against it, Mr Cameron failed to repeat the pledge yesterday.

"What I've said is we want to hold that referendum on the Lisbon Treaty but it seems we are getting close to a point where that treaty is
no longer going to be a treaty, but will be part of European law," he said.

"We've always said, as and when that happens, we will address immediately what we will do to ensure that we are good to our promise."

Instead of a referendum, the Tories are expected to seek the repatriation of some powers, such as social and employment policy, from Brussels. But some Tory backbenchers are angry at Mr Cameron's
backtracking.

Veteran MP Richard Shepherd said: "It's a matter of principle, honour and trust. The political class seems indifferent to allowing the people to express their own view on something as profound as the development of Europe."

Right-wing think tank The Bruges Group warned failing to hold a referendum would make Tory policy on Europe "utterly unconvincing".

It added: "What is the point in David Cameron upending one pledge on Europe, but promising he'll offer us yet more European promises in his general election manifesto? Why will they be any more credible than the "cast-iron guarantee" he has just broken?"

Mr Cameron could argue that he made his pledge in 2007 when Gordon Brown was considering a snap election.

Leading Eurosceptic Bill Cash MP said: "We need a full referendum on Lisbon as we were promised and as we voted in the Commons. No ifs or buts."