By KUNA
London : British MPs were assessing Thursday the fallout from the UK vote to reject a referendum on the controversial new EU Treaty.
The British Government saw off attempts in the House of Commons last night by both the main opposition Conservatives and its own rebel MPs to stage a referendum.
But the outcome has exposed divisions in all three main political parties, particularly the pro-European Liberal Democrats, commentators said.
The Conservatives have vowed to fight on and introduce their amendment calling for a referendum when the Treaty Bill goes to the House of Lords.
In the House of Commons vote last night, the Conservative amendment to the EU Bill was rebuffed by a majority of 63.
But there were splits, with 29 Labour MPs and a quarter of Liberal Democrats backing the call for a public vote.
Three Conservative MPs also defied their party leadership.
Nick Clegg, who has been Liberal Democrat leader for less than three months, has defended ordering his party to abstain in the vote.
But his strategy appeared to backfire, with 15 of his MPs refusing to do so, and three frontbenchers resigning over the issue.
Clegg has already reassigned their responsibilities, but it was seen as an uncomfortable experience for the new leader, the commentators added.
Like the government, the Liberal Democrat leadership argued that a referendum on the EU’s Lisbon Treaty was not necessary as it is a very different document from the now abandoned EU constitution.
But the Conservatives, along with some Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs and the UK Independence Party among others, say that it is effectively the constitution under a different name, so there should be a referendum.
All three main parties promised a public vote on the EU Constitution in their 2005 General Election manifestos.