Ben Macintyre of The Times watched David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, sign the Treaty of Lisbon on Britain's behalf after Gordon Brown's decision to miss the signature ceremony in the Portuguese capital:

"In Gordon Brown's absence, we have just witnessed a rather extraordinary solo performance by David Miliband.

"Britain was up on stage last, so with all the other 26 member states having already been up, the announcer called up the Foreign Secretary by declaring: 'And finally, the UK'. I could almost sense a slight air of schoolmasterly disappointment in his voice.

"When they were called up, in alphabetical order, each country's delegation went on stage with a giant national flag projected behind them fluttering in a rather bilious way. The delegations of two - or three, in the case of France - then sign the treaty, and shake each other's hands for the cameras.

"But Miliband's problem was that he came down on his own and didn't actually have anyone to shake hands with. With the stage empty after he signed, the only person whose hand he could find to shake was the European attendant who carries all the books and paperwork. The chap looked utterly bemused.

"I managed to intercept Miliband as he went out for the family photograph and he was hurrying along, saying: 'Wouldn't want to leave a space.'

"Later on, Gordon Brown's doing his own private signing. We don't yet know whether there'll be a private little ceremony all for the UK in front of the cameras, but I suspect it'll take place in a broom cupboard with the lights off or something. Let's just hope that David Miliband left a space for him to sign."

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