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BBC NEWS | Politics | Blair urged to push constitutionhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3822759.stm Blair urged to push constitution Keith Vaz says ministers must speak more about the EU constitution The government will lose the referendum on the new EU constitution unless ministers do more to promote it, former Europe Minister Keith Vaz says. Mr Vaz says he has surveyed ministerial speeches and few Cabinet members have mentioned the constitution publicly. Tony Blair will begin the task of persuading the public of its merits in media interviews later on Sunday. But Labour Eurosceptics are meeting on Monday to form an anti-treaty campaign group, Labour Against a Superstate. One of its founders, Ian Davidson, said most Labour voters do not want the new constitution and that Mr Blair is "riding for a fall". A separate Vote No campaign has the backing of 20 business leaders who have written to the prime minister saying the constitution would harm jobs, living standards and democracy. Pro-Europeans say the Yes campaign must begin now. But BBC correspondent Carole Walker says the government seems prepared to put that off until after the election. She says Mr Blair believes that once people see the reality of Europe's new rule book, he will be able to persuade them to vote for it in a referendum. Poll Meanwhile, a YouGov poll of nearly 1,300 people for the Sunday Times showed voters would reject the constitution by 49% to 23%. But the paper also pointed to misconceptions about the constitution amongst those surveyed. It said many wrongly believed the constitution gave Europe immediate power over UK tax rates, that the British passport would be replaced by a European one and that Britain would be replaced on the UN Security Council by a European representative. However, it said voters said they would back the constitution by 41% to 35% if concerns on these and other issues were met. Opposition The Conservatives on Saturday vowed to fight the government over what they say is a handover of power to Brussels. Shadow Foreign Secretary Michael Ancram said the Tories would "oppose and expose" the constitution. But Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the document was a "good package" that would be accepted by the British people. Although some were uneasy about the EU, few thought Britain should have an "ineffective" marginal role, he said. They are defending it, not on what they have won, but on what they haven't lost Michael Ancram Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy has given his support for the treaty, and said it was now time to make the case for it in a referendum. Mr Ancram questioned how Mr Straw could be claiming a victory. "They are defending it, not on what they have won, but on what they haven't lost. Who do they think they're duping?" Every country must now ratify the constitution, which will require a referendum in Britain. The government has not yet said when the referendum will be held, although analysts think it is unlikely to be before the next election. The issue will first be debated by MPs. Forwarded by Gabe Menezes.
