In the midst of a hot but superficial debate over the proposed EU constitution a variety of polls warn that citizens are against it, and only a hand-full in several countries are for it. Tony Blair once believed that the new constitution should be negotiated by government as "other treaties" have been. He recently changed positions, opening the way for a public referendum.

Proponents of the constitution have been pushing for an agreement within three months, without subjecting their proposal to public judgment. They believe that objections by Spain and Poland that blocked a deal last December have been mitigated by the election of a Socialist government in Spain.

Mr. Blair claimed at a recent summit that the heightened threat of terrorism had highlighted the need for Europe to show unity and called for an agreement "as soon as possible." But a survey by ICM for think-tank New Frontiers found that 64 percent think that the threat of international terrorism makes it more important to "keep control of our own affairs."

A New Frontiers poll surveyed 1,000 chief executive officers and found that 59 percent did not believe the proposed constitution would make the EU work better. Eight out of ten firms also thought Britain, not the EU, should handle trade negotiations. Some 73 percent said they would vote against Britain joining the euro if asked now.

In their analysis entitled "British Strategy in the Context of the Brussels Summit" the New Frontiers Foundation writes; "This Constitution utterly fails the basic test of a good constitution: is it simple, and does it explain how power is to be held accountable? Instead, it is a model of opacity and attempts to enshrine a combination of a particular left-wing view of economic policy and an anti-liberal view of national democracy in a Constitutional document that epitomises the decline of European democracy and political debate." From the same source; A CBI spokesman has said the Charter is, “Bureaucracy gone mad,” and that, “We don't need it and we won't want it.” The Institute of Directors warned of “clear and worrying threats for British business”.

An ICM poll conducted April 22-24 for News of the World asked; Do you believe Britain should sign up to the EU's constitution? More than half (55%) of people polled in the UK responded no, and around 20 percent did not know. The poll suggested that only about a quarter of the population favors the constitution. Slightly more than half (51%) would vote to remain in the EU, which is why proponents of the constitution, including Tony Blair, have lately tried to make an argument confusing constitutional acceptance with EU membership. But just over half of the population (51%) does not believe that Britain would have to withdraw from the EU if the constitution is defeated in a referendum (11% don't know).

Ninety percent said that Britain rather than Brussels should have the final say on British policy, 65 percent want human rights locally controlled, 83 percent want local control of economic policy, 80 percent local control of business regulations, health and safety, 89 percent local control of taxes, 82 percent local control of defense, and 72 percent want Britain rather than Brussels to decide foreign policy.