Tony Blair and Gordon Brown will this week warn that Britain will veto the new EU constitution unless it includes amendments to preserve their "red lines".

The chancellor will tell European finance ministers in Brussels tomorrow that at least 25 amendments must be made to the draft treaty in the key areas of tax and budgets.

Meanwhile the prime minister will today launch Labour's campaign for the European parliamentary elections on June 10.

He will warn that the Conservatives would put Britain's relationship with the EU in jeopardy because of the fierce Euroscepticism of the Tory leader, Michael Howard.

Today's FT reports that Blair is considering plans to appoint a Europe minister of Cabinet rank at the next reshuffle - possibly in late June.