LONDON - Britain's Conservative leader David Cameron declared yesterday that he would not allow his premiership to be dominated by a "massive bust-up" with the European Union as he shelved any Europe referendum for at least five years.
The Tory leader masked his retreat from his promise of a public
vote on the EU's Treaty of Lisbon with a firm pledge that powers would "never again" be transferred from the UK to Brussels without a referendum and that all future European treaties would require one in Britain.
But he declared that he would not call a "phoney referendum" now that the Lisbon Treaty to streamline EU decision-making has been approved, saying it would achieve nothing.
He tried to reassure Eurosceptic MPs and grassroots Tories by promising to negotiate a return of some EU powers over workers' rights and criminal justice to the UK and to demand a more secure opt-out from the EU's charter of fundamental rights.
He promised a Sovereignty Bill to ensure that Britain has "the final word" on its own laws.
Cameron also said that a UK referendum could be held following the general election after next if the EU continued down a federalist path.
His overall message in a speech in London was that he would pursue a more "softly softly" approach to Europe if the Tories win the general election than many of his MPs would want.
"Yes, I believe we will be able to negotiate the return of the powers I have set out. But no, we will not rush into some massive Euro bust-up," he said.
"We will take our time, negotiate firmly, patiently and respectfully, and aim to achieve the return of the powers I have set out over the lifetime of a Parliament."
An incoming Tory government would amend the 1972 European Communities Act which took Britain into the EU to include an Irish-style "referendum lock" on any treaty handing over further powers to Brussels.
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