Britain's Tories vow EU changes after treaty U-turn

(LONDON) - British opposition leader David Cameron, tipped as the next prime minister, vowed Wednesday to take back powers from Europe as he confirmed his party would no longer hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.

The Conservative leader said he did not want a "massive Euro bust-up" but said that if he wins the next election due by June, he would seek to stop the "steady and unaccountable intrusion" of the European Union into British law.

In a speech in London, Cameron explained that his party had no choice but to abandon a "cast-iron guarantee" to hold a national vote on the European Union's reform treaty following its ratification Tuesday by the Czech Republic.

He admitted he was "disappointed" and "dejected" by the Czech decision but added that treaty was now law -- it is expected to come into force on December 1 -- and no referendum would change that.

But in a bid to reassure the eurosceptics in his party, which has held a double-digit poll lead over Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labour party for months, he promised to negotiate the return of powers from Brussels to London.

Over five years, he said the Conservatives would secure opt-outs on the Charter of Fundamental Rights and certain social and employment legislation, and also limit the power of the European Court of Justice in Britain.

Cameron insisted "we will not rush into some massive Euro bust-up" to achieve the changes, promising to "negotiate firmly, patiently and respectfully" with the other 26 EU member states.

The issue of Europe has caused destructive splits in Conservative ranks since the days of Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s.

Cameron has papered over them by pulling out of the main centre-right grouping in the European Parliament, but that move has sparked derision from the Labour government and concern among many in Europe.

In a message to Britain's European partners, Cameron stressed he was not trying to "sabotage" the EU.

"My purpose in committing any government I lead to these measures is not to frustrate or to sabotage the operation of the European Union. It is to put Britain's role in the EU on a more positive footing," he said.

He said the measures were needed to stop the "steady and unaccountable intrusion of the European Union into almost every aspect of our laws".

"On energy security, on climate change, on growth, on global poverty, we will look forward to working with our European partners to make progress on these issues," he added.

Cameron also pledged to change British law so that any future transfer of powers to Brussels under the Lisbon Treaty must be approved by parliament, and any other treaties would be subject to a referendum.

This included any decision to take Britain into the Euro, something the Conservatives strongly oppose.

In addition, Cameron outlined plans for a new law that would enshrine parliament's sovereignty over British affairs, although it was not immediately clear how this would work.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband condemned the plans, saying the proposed opt-outs were "impractical" and changes to social and employment law would make Britons "second class citizens in European labour markets".

He added that "instead of spending the next five years fighting for jobs and against climate change and terrorism across Europe, he (Cameron) will spend the next five years obsessing with institutional change".