TONY BLAIR must use his power as President of the EU to end the “medieval” practice of European legislation being decided behind closed doors, according to an unprecedented joint declaration by the leaders of all British political groups in Brussels.

Critics claim that the Council of Ministers, the EU’s supreme law-making body, which decides two thirds of all Britain’s laws, is the only legislature outside the Communist dictatorships of North Korea and Cuba to pass laws in secret.

The campaign — launched by a letter in The Times today and an official proclamation in the European Parliament — demands that the Prime Minister use his six-month EU presidency to open up debates and votes at the council to public scrutiny.

The proclamation, the first time that all British political groups have joined forces in Brussels, is particularly embarrassing for Mr Blair because it is signed by Gary Titley, the leader of the Labour Party in the European Parliament. It is also signed by the heads of the Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, the UK Independence Party and the Greens.

The British political leaders insist that opening up lawmaking will restore public confidence in the EU, which is often seen as remote and undemocratic. “The principles of openness and transparency should apply whenever European laws are being made. They are essential if national parliaments are to hold ministers to account for their actions,” they write.

The British party leaders are confident of securing the support of the majority of MEPs in a motion in the European Parliament, putting increasing pressure on Mr Blair to respond. Ministers from all 25 countries meet regularly in the Council, and debate and vote on EU legislation, the last hurdle it must pass. After they legislate, they usually give wildly different views of the debate, each explaining how they triumphed.

Mr Titley said that it makes the EU seem dishonest: “We still have this medieval way of making decisions in the EU; people hide behind other member states, and blame them. It increases people’s sense of cynicism, but what we need is some straight talking.”

Mr Blair only needs to get the support of 13 of the 25 member states to make the change. Although Denmark, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands are supportive, southern European countries fear it would be difficult to have honest debates — and to horse trade. Many of the arguments used in Brussels against openness are those used by British MPs when journalists campaigned more than a century ago to be allowed to report parliamentary debates.

Chris Davies, the Liberal Democrat leader in Brussels, said: “We are agreed across the political parties that it is quite wrong for ministers to continue debating EU laws behind closed doors in Brussels. The Prime Minister has the chance here to get a quick win for Britain and for Europe.”

Nigel Farage, the UKIP leader, said: “It is monstrous we have no idea how the Government votes, and we have no idea whether they stand up for British interests. While we are in the EU, we want it to be as open and democratic as possible.”

Timothy Kirkhope, the Conservative leader, said: “Making laws behind closed doors is plainly wrong.”

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