Nós por cá...

Só em Portugal, para um PM se recusar a referendar um tratado substancialmente igual a um que tinha prometido referendar. Só mesmo neste país atrasado. Entretanto, no Reino Unido:

Mr Brown has argued that no referendum in the UK is needed on the Lisbon Treaty because it does not have the constitutional character of the constitutional document which was rejected by French and Dutch voters at referendums in 2005.

Most Conservative and some Labour MPs argue that, as the Labour government had promised a referendum on the constitution, it should do the same for the treaty which they have already said is substantially the same.

But the government says it is different, and does not require a referendum. It says changes are either minor and procedural, and Britain has negotiated "opt outs" for other changes, where necessary.