Diamond Giscard’s crooked attempt to slip in a last minute clause (draft Article 24) to the draft constitution that would effectively give ministers (rather than national parliaments) the right to abolish national vetoes in various key areas continues to embarrass Britain’s Labour Government. Peter Hain, Downing Street’s envoy to the constitutional ‘convention’ (he’s the man notorious for describing the proposed constitution as a ‘tidying-up’ operation) is reiterating his opposition to Article 24, but the atmosphere at the convention has obviously turned nasty. Fanatics don’t like being thwarted.

The Daily Telegraph notes that, “as tempers frayed at the final session of 105-strong forum, Mr Hain was booed for pledging defiantly that the Government would never agree to give up the veto on foreign policy or taxation.” Charming.

The British government has the power to veto this whole wretched constitution. It should now do so.