PM: "Committed to referendum"

Downing Street has refused to be drawn on whether the UK will go a ahead with a referendum if France rejects the EU constitution.

Number 10 said on Wednesday that the prime minister's position remains "unchanged" on whether the poll expected in spring next year will take place.

Tony Blair has promised the public a say, but it is unclear whether a French "no" vote on May 29 will get him off the hook of a vote polls predict he will lose.

During the general election campaign, Blair hinted the ballot would go ahead as long as there is a constitution to vote on.

However a French - or Dutch - "no" vote would leave a grey area as to whether the treaty would continue to exist in its present form or would have to be redrawn altogether.

The prime minister's official spokesman said Blair is a committed to a referendum.

But he added that he was "not going to speculate" on the outcome of the forthcoming French vote.

"Governments don't intervene in other country's electoral arrangements," he pointed out.

The spokesman went on to say that the French and Dutch referendums "will establish the context" for any British campaign.

"The nature of debate in Europe will be established by the result in those two countries," he said.