BRITAIN:A more combative Gordon Brown has again dismissed demands for a British referendum on the EU reform treaty ahead of today's European summit in Lisbon. However, Conservative leader David Cameron has warned the prime minister he faces a loss of public trust if he reneges on Labour's 2005 election manifesto commitment.
Mr Brown denied doing so during yesterday's Commons clash, insisting the blueprint to be agreed in Portugal over the next two days is "an amending treaty" and not the original "constitutional treaty" on which Labour had promised a vote.
"It is an amending treaty," insisted Mr Brown: "This is not fundamental change. We have managed to negotiate red lines in Europe which mean the national interest will be protected.
"Britain will decide on justice and home affairs. Britain will decide on foreign policy, where it is multilateral. Britain will decide on social security and Britain will decide on national security.We will at all times stand up for the British national interest."
He also asserted that no government in Europe favoured putting the treaty to a referendum, save in Ireland where it was constitutionally obliged to do so.
However, Mr Cameron hit back, demanding: "Why do you not admit the reason you won't have a referendum is that you are scared of losing it?" The Tory leader quoted the conclusion of the Labour-led European Scrutiny Committee that the treaty and discarded constitution were essentially the same, and Labour MP Gisela Stuart - the government's representative on the original constitutional convention - saying holding a referendum was a matter of "integrity and trust".
Clearly determined to avoid a repeat of last week's hammering by Mr Cameron in the aftermath of his "snap" election U-turn, Mr Brown mocked Mr Cameron's liking for "pre-rehearsed soundbites" while delivering one of his own.
While "good at PR", Mr Brown suggested Mr Cameron had over-reached himself in California last weekend, inviting people to look at him "and think [ governor] Arnold Schwarzenegger".
However, Mr Cameron hit back sharply: "People will look at him and just say 'here is a man who breaks his promises'."
Although yesterday's exchange was more evenly balanced than last week's question time, Mr Cameron emerged ahead on points after combining his European assault with questions blaming government "top-down targets" for the rise in hospital-acquired infections.
As the chief inspector registered her concern at the continuing high numbers of failing schools in England, acting Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable also sought to embarrass Mr Brown.
He asked the prime minister if he thought there was "a moral case for supporting marriage" and why he had crafted an inheritance tax system discriminating against millions of unmarried couples and their children.
Mr Cable yesterday ruled himself out of the race to succeed Sir Menzies Campbell, who resigned on Monday. With Nick Clegg and Chris Huhne the frontrunners, former leader Charles Kennedy also said it was "extremely unlikely" he would stand. Almost 79 per cent of more than 7,000 callers to the BBC's Daily Politicsshow said he should.