Tomorrow morning (Friday 16th January) North East Conservative Euro MP Martin Callanan will launch an advertising campaign in the regional press offering people the opportunity to sign a petition demanding a referendum on the proposed European Constitution.

Speaking at the launch Martin Callanan said:

'In the North East we have had referendums for elected mayors, we are being forced to have a referendum on a regional assembly despite the fact nobody wants it, and yet Tony Blair refuses to let us have our say on the proposed constitution for Europe.'

'Starting today and running throughout next week, adverts will be run in newspapers covering the whole region - from Berwick in the north to Middlesbrough in the south, from Hexham in the west to Sunderland in the east. The advert will ask readers to fill out a form that will then be presented to Tony Blair demanding a referendum before any new European Constitution is agreed.'

Martin continued:

'It is time for many of the political leaders in Europe to stop thinking in terms of bland uniformity and coercion. We need a modern Europe of nation states, a flexible Europe. Grandiose constitutional schemes are no substitute for tackling the real problems facing our peoples. I hope that Tony Blair will use the coming months to think afresh about the need for this or any Constitution.'