Brown misses the party with late arrival for signing of EU reform treaty

PM accused of 'sulky rudeness' after diary clash delays arrival at leaders' summit on contentious document

GORDON Brown signed the controversial European reform treaty yesterday, after arriving three-and-a-half hours later than any other head of government at an EU summit.

The Prime Minister missed the mass signing session and bonding over lunch with 26 other EU leaders. His planned late arrival was due to a diary clash with his appearance before a Commons committee.

Mr Brown also rebuked the EU for its introspection before he touched down in Lisbon for the rushed signing.

"What I'm going to say to Europe is stop looking inwards, stop looking at constitutions or semi-constitutions or institutions for a long time ahead and concentrate on the big issues ahead of us," he said, before travelling to Portugal.

The Prime Minister was criticised by both sceptics and supporters of the EU, who claimed he should have either shown more enthusiasm or pulled out altogether until he held a referendum on the treaty.

Critics say the document does not substantially differ from the rejected EU constitution, on which Labour had promised a referendum.

Mr Brown signed the treaty as other politicians were leaving the summit and waiters cleared the banquet tables. A late photo-shoot was specially created for Mr Brown when he arrived so the event was captured on camera.

Questions had remained until earlier this week over whether Mr Brown would turn up to the event, but after lobbying from the Foreign Office he decided to make the whirlwind trip.

The Prime Minister travelled back to Britain last night.

David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, had to stand in for Mr Brown in the group photo and was welcomed by José Socrates, Portugal's prime minister. There had been fears Mr Miliband could have also missed the ceremony because of expected plane delays. However, he arrived on time, but was the last in line to sign the document.

Even as he shook hands with Mr Socrates, who holds the rotating presidency of the EU, Mr Miliband was asked where his boss was.

"He's coming", he replied, pointing to his watch.

Mr Brown has been under immense pressure from euro-sceptics, and their fears were underscored by Mr Socrates, who hailed the treaty as the beginning of further EU integration. He added: "This treaty is a new moment in the European adventure and of the European future."

The signing of the treaty paves the way for its ratification by MPs in a House of Commons vote next year. However, Mr Brown will still come under pressure to hold a popular vote as opinion polls suggest a large majority of UK voters support demands for a referendum.

William Hague, the shadow foreign secretary, said: "With a stroke of a pen, Mr Brown has signed away a swathe of powers to the EU, but his sulky rudeness to our European partners means that he has actually managed to lose influence in Brussels.

"Labour's election manifesto said there would be a referendum on the constitution. It didn't say that if other countries threw it out first, the treaty would be given a few tweaks and a new name and rammed through. But that is exactly what Gordon Brown is trying to do."

Chris Huhne, a contender for the Liberal Democrat leadership and a former MEP, said:

"Anti-Europeans will note the treaty was still signed, while pro-Europeans will note the extraordinary bad grace with which the Prime Minister specifically organised a parliamentary meeting to clash with a ceremony that 26 of our partners' heads of state and governments thought it worthwhile to attend."

Nigel Farage, the leader of the UK Independence Party, denounced the treaty as "the most dishonest thing I have ever witnessed in my life".

Q & A: WHY THE CONTROVERSY?

Why did Gordon Brown miss the group signing of the EU treaty?

The Prime Minister had a "long-standing" engagement to appear before the liaison committee at Westminster. He changed its starting time to one hour earlier, but questions have been raised as to how hard he tried to change the date. The Foreign Office is said to have lobbied Mr Brown to go to Lisbon, even if it was several hours late.

Why would he not want to be seen signing the treaty?

He has been accused of breaking a Labour manifesto pledge to hold a referendum on the EU constitution. He argues that the new treaty is vastly different from the old constitution and is simply a streamlining document. He is also under immense pressure from elements of the right-wing press.

What does the treaty set out to do?

It creates an EU president and a vastly more powerful foreign-policy chief for the bloc's 27 nations. It enshrines the 2004 EU charter of fundamental rights, but Britain has obtained an "opt-out" on having any new rights under the charter imposed by the European Court of Human Rights.