i think PM Brown have taken one of the most inspiring and historical step in UK history, i fully back him, actually i was sceptical about him till yesterday when he signed the EU document, people of England got to be proud of the MP, EU is the future and Brown is helping uk catch up with the future.

lucius, stratford,

To those British morons who talk of the EU as "unelected foreigners" I would remind them that in our domestic General Elections Governments are elected on only 30 per cent of the popular vote. Perhaps they can explain how democratic that is.

Neil, Gloucestershire, England

Despite the fact that some Britons, and our politicians (some of whom rudely stay away from important EU meetings) try to pretend that this country is not part of Europe we ARE, and our politicians have been interfering and meddling in European politics for hundreds of years. The EU is a great benefit to the UK, and it has brought us closer to all our European neighbours. To Francisco Morales I would say that most Britons embrace the EU and welcome our participation in Europe, but a very vocal minority try to rubbish everything the EU does. Long Live the EU.

Neil, Gloucestershire, England

Are there any protests or rallys being lined up? I want to express my utter disgust at this treaty, this government and basically everything that MY country has become.

"It was curious to think that the sky was the same for everybody, in Eurasia or Eastasia as well as here. And the people under the sky were also very much the same--everywhere, all over the world, hundreds or thousands of millions of people just like this, people ignorant of one another's existence, held apart by walls of hatred and lies, and yet almost exactly the same--people who had never learned to think but were storing up in their hearts and bellies and muscles the power that would one day overturn the world."
- George Orwell, 1984, Book 1, Chapter 10

Jonny, London, UK

It is clear to me that Britain is not an European country.

Francisco Morales, Granada, Spain

The treaty is vital to ensure coherence of EU institutions because working with 27 countries is different than working with 12 countries. Better, faster, that's what this is all about. Foreign policy must also be homogeneous in order to play a huge role in the world. Mr. Brown knows UK can achieve its goals with EU so why would he be the only one to block the treaty ?

Jean-Michel Hubert, Brussels, Belgium

Europe has brought advantages to the UK. The UK has influenced Brussels much much more than people in the UK would recognise. If the UK do not want some of the "burdens" of the EU then it should not have the advantages. You do not want the treaty? you do not want the EU? then go away. leave the EU. leave us alone. We can live withour your opt-in's and opt-out's.
Regards,

Mark, Bruxelles, Belgium

I cannot understand why the Prime Minister is so anxious to sign away all our historic and hard won independence to one of the most financially corrupt organisations in the world whose sole purpose is to promote the interests of certain states, has he not learned anything from the past?
Also, how does he hope to feed and house all the migrants from Europe in this tiny over crowded island and still remain true to the spirit of England and its people?

Peter Powell, Leicester,

Gordon Brown does not have the backing of the British Public to sign this document. Britain did not agree to join a European Union, only to trade with Europe. He is scared of having a referendum as he knows the vote will go against him, he should resign now.

Jaycee, York,

Is there an article somewhere which shows what we get and what we lose?

Is a federal state inevitable?

Is the voting one vote for one state ie Luxembourg 1 Germany 1?

Does democracy play any part in this? Are the people representing us at European level going to be voted for separately or is this a private presidents club?

Who have we become?

Phil, Witham,

I fully concur with the above. Sadly I'll just be another to say: I told you so.

SH, Suffolk, England

Does he really think we are that stupid. Others obviously do - I've just watched that prat who got sacked from the Mirror compare the 'treaty' to the England manager job. Unlected foreigners in charge of our matters is definitely not the same as an Italian managering 11 blokes on a pitch. If they had a problem he'd hear them. Not the same for the 500 million in Euroland. I am so angry by Brown's utter contempt for the British people. I hope the rest of his party do the right thing and make sure they keep their promise of a referendum other i for one will riot and fight for our fundermental rights of living in a democratic party!

Michelle, guildford, UK

A nice tidying up of the EU. Excellent.

Don't let a few backward thinking - living 100 years in the past Brits ruin it for the rest of us.

T Cut, West Midlands, UK, EU

Surely this is the greatest act of Treason in British history. With absolutely no support, I fear the result of this.

JohnW, Oldham,

Good luck to you, Britain. You just signed away more of your soveriegnty. By all appearances, the Royal family is a better use of your tax dollars than Parliament. I can't imagine Elizabeth II handing additional power to unelected suits in Brussels.

JT, Austin, TX, USA

An unelected Quisling of a PM signs away his nation's liberties, and most of the people are either too ignorant or too indolent to do anything about it. What a sad time to be British.

Edward Howard, London, United Kingdom

Yes the treaty of Lisbon is a sort of EU constitution, unfortunatley it's just a constitution light. Millions of Europeans would have liked to get a real constitution, but some mixed up domestic politics and EU politics ...
But I hope at least this version will be ratified, by GB too.
And if GB doesn't want to accept this, it would be very kind to exit the EU and not blocking the other 26 countries which want to progress. But still I'm hoping one day EU-sceptics see the chances EU offers, and perhaps even can accept the Charta of Human Rights ...

Stefan, Munich, Germany

This is hardly the major issue everyone seems to be making it. He failed to sign a treaty with other EU leaders because he was performing other duties. It's not like he was playing croquet... The treaty was signed only 4 hours later what real difference does it make? Symbolism? I don't think the ball has really been dropped here and the this rather boring story is being sensationalised.

Paddy, Manchester, England

Will no one rid us of this turbulent priest?
At times like this I truly admire the Irish propensity for standing up to tyranny

Henry II , Fontevraud, Anjou

I agree with most of you that such a thing should have been put in referendum, the UK citizens -conditioned by their euro-skeptic "press"- would have certainly say no and we could then have been able to throw them out of Europe, which is my best wish in front of their constant ambivalence and hypocrisy, being that trojan horse which have always worked against european interests.

Me, none,

He has been late on behalf of all of us - how pathetic.

Time for a new party to have power I think.

alex Watt, london,

Here's a thought from the U.S. - y'all in the UK pay good money, year after year, to support the Royal Family. This endures for many reasons, but one of the best is as an ultimate safeguard against precisely this situation - a elected government gone rogue against its own people.

The Sovreign should earn her pay this year by exercising her reserve powers, specifically, by stating she will withhold the Royal Assent to the EU Treaty, until and unless the matter is put to referendum. If Brown remains pigheaded, the Queen should exercise her last option - and dismiss him.

Its extreme, but about 140 years ago, Abraham Lincoln took similar steps under his extraordinary powers to suspend habeas corpus, and nullified a Supreme Court decision to reestablish the same. Without those actions, the US would split asunder over a century ago - with fairly significant consequences for the world at large.

David Kettering, New York, New York

What an absolute disgrace, what else can you say, never in the history of the United Kingdom have the people been treated with such absolute contempt.

Ajer, Reading, UK

Turning up late to sign the Treaty ? A poor attempt to show how insignificant this matter is for Britain.

Will the electorate turn up at all to vote for this dinosaur at the next General Election ?

David, marlborough, Wiltshire

He is an unelected leader going against the mandate on which his party was elected. We should get our own house in order before we lecture other countries on the benefits of democracy.

RW, London, UK

So many are accusing this man of being a traitor that one must start believing there is no smoke without fire. I think the British Constitution and way we run the Government needs modifying. A man like this has too much power. He rides roughshod over what the people want. I have 40,000 polls showing 98% against this treaty.
Mr Brown and the week kneed MP,s are stoking up a head of steam that will blow one day. I have never seen language like is being used. What is he trying to do spark a revolution and turn this country into a charnel house.

John, Aldershot, UK

The Treaty of Lisbon is nothing but an EU constitution in sheeps clothing. The PM should have had the courage to put it to the people via a referundum, or perhaps an election.

Mark, Chicago, IL

Another Labour betrayal. The government ministers need to go back to school to be reminded what 'Transparency', 'Integrity' Honesty' and 'Morals' means. Let's hope the electorate remember at the next general election.

R.Allely, Cardiff, Wales

Long live the UK
R.I.P

Maybe to save the monarchy the royal family should consider moving to either NZ, Australia or Canada; if there's still time?

richard irwin, Bristol, UK

Next time, Prime Minister, don't bother to go. Heck, if we Europeans have our way, there won't be a next time for you Brits. Brits out! Long live the British Empire! Long live the Anglosphere!

Shirley Jackson, Warsaw, Zagreb, Brussels, European Union

What a disaster! Socialism for all, hurrah! (NOT!)

N Chalk, Devon, UK