I am getting tired of the disingenuousness of those calling for a referendum. They know only too well that the answer will be "no", for all the wrong reasons that led the French and Dutch to say "no". In the French case it was "no" to a Europe that France no longer dominated. A British "no" would be "no" to a Europe which the British have never been enthusiastic about. What responsible UK politicians should be saying is, "OK, if we have a referendum and the majority says 'no', then the eventual withdrawal of the UK from the EU will be inevitable. Is that what you really want? If you do, what would you have us do instead? Join the N. American free-trade area? Go it alone like Norway and Switzerland?" Put bluntly like that would be like saying to an errant husband, "OK, make your mind up - is it the wife or is it the girlfriend - because you can't have both". I am no Euro-enthusiast, but I know what we should do: stick with the wife...

J.Fletcher, Canterbury, UK

It is irrelevant that the Tories did not call for a referendum on EU treaties before 1997.The point is that Labour,Conservatives and the Liberal party all promised a referendum this time.Ireland have said that this treaty is 90 per cent the same as the rejected constitution (with which they are happy) so please do not claim that it is a minor matter.Brown should view this as an opportunity to show that he can be trusted,unlike his predecessor,and that his new Labour honours its promises.

COLIN , Hong Kong,

While you trot out the opium line - relax, it's only fuss - the true lines of the treaty are there to be read by anyone who wants to see them. If Cameron does not have the guts for the sustained, hard campaign we must now have to overthrow this appalling con trick treaty pulled by Blair, someone else will and voters will turn to the BNP and UKIP. Doesn't anyone remember the words 'weapons of mass destruction'? We weren't supposed to bother our little heads about that either.

Helen, Northants,

I'm as skeptical as they come, but I don't see the same problems here as you do.

If Blair's read lines hold up, then the principle of a two-speed Europe has been established, core countries can pursue their integration, and we can concentrate on free trade and stay out of their discussions.

If Blair's red lines are challenged in court and the challenge succeeds, then that will be a significant transfer of power that needs to be confirmed by a referendum.

As Churchill once said, referenda have a place in British politics, and that is when there is a decision that politicians cannot or will not take. Here is a good example. No referendum if the red lines hold up, but a referendum if the red lines fail and the British public has to decide what to do next.

I would not want to be Brown in a General Election with no red lines and no backing from a referendum. The Election would simply become the referendum, and he would be finished.

jon livesey, Sunnyvale, CA/US

Maybe....events dear boy! If Ireland holds a referendum, it will be damaging but Brown may be able to shrug off...small country, consitutional differences with the UK....anyone else e.g. The Netherlands holding one, then not holding a referendum in the UK will become untenable.

Mike, Brighton,

But surely we simply cannot go on having a new treaty every few years which transfers yet more powers to the EU without the people having a say. Each time we are told 'it is not a fundamental change' but together the Single European Act, Maastricht, Amsterdam, Nice and the latest reform treaty do represent fundamental change (about 140 vetoes lost in all, including 40 in this latest treaty).

Merkel, Barrosso, Ahern and many others have said that this treaty is 90%+ similar to the constitution. Given the manifesto commitment of all parties to hold a referendum on the constitution, given the overwhelming support for a referendum among the voters, given polls indicating people oppose the transfer of more powers to the EU, given that our elected Parliament will be impotent in more areas, given that this gives greater power to the executive to vote on matters in our name behind closed doors rather than putting them to Parliament, is it not clear that democracy requires a referendum.

Tim, UK,

It is irrelevant that the Tories did not call for a referendum on EU treaties before 1997.The point is that Labour,Conservatives and the Liberal party all promised a referendum this time.Ireland have said that this treaty is 90 per cent the same as the rejected constitution (with which they are happy).Brown should view this as an opportunity to show that he can be trusted,unlike his predecessor,and that his new Labour honours its promises.

COLIN , Hong Kong,