The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, London

Campaigners calling for Britain to hold a referendum on a new European Union treaty claimed massive public support Sunday, after publishing data from unofficial polls they had carried out. The I Want A Referendum Campaign said it was backed by 87 percent of people who took part in 10 unofficial referenda in 10 parliamentary constituencies, including those of senior government ministers. It said that of 152,520 people polled, 133,251 called for a referendum. In a separate question, 89 percent said Britain should not approve the treaty, and eight percent said it should. The results were published ahead of a parliamentary vote Wednesday on whether to call a referendum on the treaty, which deals with institutional reform of an enlarged EU. The governing Labour Party promised a referendum on the EU constitutional treaty in its 2005 general election manifesto, but now says this is no longer necessary after that text was rejected by Dutch and French voters.