GORDON BROWN has come under new pressure from Labour Europhiles to hold a referendum on the European Union treaty as Gisela Stuart, the MP, demanded that it be put to the vote.

Stuart, a former junior minister who sat on the steering group that drew up the rejected constitution, said: “This document, irrespective of what you call it, substantively is still the same as the constitution. This is something which we as Labour MPs went into the 2005 election promising a referendum on. It is a question of trust.”

Last week Keith Vaz, the former minister for Europe, challenged the government’s position by saying there should be a referendum on whether Britain should be in the EU at all. He believes the vote would be overwhelmingly in favour.

Labour rebels claim that MPs have been shocked during the parliamentary recess by the strength of feeling on the matter in their constituencies and fear that dodging the issue could be electorally damaging.

They plan to intensify their campaign ahead of this month’s Trades Union Congress and the Labour party conference.

Gwyneth Dunwoody, a senior backbencher, said: “I think people are fundamentally worried about the treaty. I hope a referendum will be seriously considered because I believe there is strong support for it in the country.”

Ian Gibson, MP for Norwich North, said: “I think a referendum is inevitable now. More and more people are picking up demands from their constituents, it is going to be hard to resist it.”

Ed Balls, secretary of state for schools, was due to rule out a referendum during an interview with GMTV this morning He insisted that the treaty did not amount to a constitutional change in the UK’s relationship with Europe in the way the former constitution did. “I don’t think the British people want some big debate about Europe. They want us to get on with the job and get on with things that really matter,” he added.

However, Kate Hoey, a former sports minister, said: “You couldn’t fit a needle between the treaty and the constitution.

“There is growing momentum for a referendum. The government is going to maintain that it is not going to happen, but I don’t think they can avoid it.”

Last week rebels headed by Ian Davidson, a Labour MP in Glasgow, wrote to Brown, calling on him to make substantial changes to the treaty.

Davidson, who claims to have the support of about 120 Labour MPs, said: “Brown has reexamined a number of areas since he became prime minister and has made changes. “In due course he will look at our relationship with the EU. If he doesn’t, we will press for a referendum.”

Lord Healey, a former chancellor, said this weekend that Brown would win if he held a referendum. “If he has one he will win it because people will vote in favour of him,” he said.

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