Prodi waarschuwt Britten voor consequenties van een mogelijk 'nee' bij referendum EU-grondwet (en)

Commission President Romano Prodi warned over the weekend that the consequences of the UK voting 'no' to the Constitution would be "heavy".

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Prodi said, "I think the political consequences would be heavy. I don't know now what 'heavy' will mean in legal terms".

"Certainly, what is clear is that after many years' debate on the Constitution, you can't think that the debate has not taken place", he continued.

"If you say No to this, politically it is not the same thing as saying No to a treaty written in one night".

In a separate interview with the BBC, Mr Prodi said that the possibility of one country holding the others up was "undemocratic".

"When we are many member states, it's difficult to conceive a union in which one country can veto all the others ... This is a completely undemocratic process".

Difficult Brits

In an interview with British television channel Sky News, respected Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy also expressed his hope that Britain would ratify the treaty but that a plan B was required.

"We need to find a sort of position for countries who would benefit from a number of the things the EU brings - for instance, the internal market and freedom of movement of goods and capital - but don't want ... integration and an integrated foreign policy", said Mr Lamy.

"I would really be sad if the EU didn't include the Brits", continued Mr Lamy. "They are difficult, but they bring a lot in many respects".

Hostile opinion

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair surprised many, both in London and in Brussels, by announcing last month that the UK would hold a referendum on the proposed Constitutional treaty.

Polls suggest that opinion in the UK is still broadly hostile to the idea. A YouGov poll for the Daily Telegraph last week showed over half of people in the UK would vote against the Constitution. Only a quarter would vote in favour, the survey showed.

The timing of the British referendum is still unclear but it is not likely to be held before next Autumn.