Blair reversal
The week's news at a glance.
London
Britons will vote in a referendum on whether to endorse the proposed European constitution, Prime Minister Tony Blair announced this week. “Let the people have the final say,” Blair said. “Let the battle be joined.” The move was a turnaround for Blair, who had long insisted that the new constitution would not change Britain’s status within the E.U. and therefore did not require voter endorsement. Opposition leaders have charged that the E.U. constitution could supersede British law and erode British sovereignty. The diplomats who drafted the constitution accused Blair of passing the buck. “This is an example of him wanting to hand this problem over to the public,” said former Irish prime minister John Bruton, “rather than take responsibility himself.”
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Sex, drugs and a royal ruckus: the US play with a future gay Prince George
Talking Point The controversial off-Broadway show is a hit with audiences in New York
-
Labour's brewing welfare rebellion
The Explainer Keir Starmer seems determined to press on with disability benefit cuts despite a "nightmare" revolt by his own MPs
-
A potentially mutating bat virus has some scientists worried about the next pandemic
Under the Radar One subgroup of bat merbecovirus has scientists concerned