THE Prime Minister is refusing to grant the British people a referendum on the proposed new constitution for the European Union on the grounds that, to use his words, "it is only a tidying-up exercise."

On the other hand, President Vadav Klaus of the Czech Republic declares that it is the blueprint for a European super-state as a result of which: "there will be no more sovereign states in Europe with fully-fledged governments and parliaments which represent legitimate interests of their citizens."

It is clear that the Government is misleading us and will seek to present the outcome of the present negotiations in Rome as a triumph for Mr Blair's negotiating skills.

We must call his bluff.

As many people as possible must write to York MP Hugh Bayley demanding that he support the request for a referendum. The Government does not have a mandate for handing over the sovereignty of the people of this country to a United States of Europe.

W C Harrison,

Queen's Court,

Fetter Lane, York.

Updated: 09:55 Tuesday, October 14, 2003