LONDON - British Prime Minister Tony Blair suggested Wednesday that there would not be a referendum in Britain on the proposed European constitution if French voters turn it down in their plebiscite on May 29.
"If there is still a constitution there has got to be a referendum on it," he said in a television interview.
"If what was to happen was France was to say 'no' and then the rest of Europe were to tear up the constitution and say we're forgetting about it - you wouldn't have a referendum on nothing."
Blair undertook in April 2004 to put the constitution to a national vote, which is expected to take place in the first half of 2006.
Opinion polls have shown a majority of French voters will reject the landmark EU treaty, which aims to simplify decision-making in the expanded EU and must be approved by all 25 member states.
He gave no sign that Britain, which takes over the EU presidency on July 1, will join the European Union eurozone, which includes 12 of the 25 EU members, in the near future.
"It doesn't look very likely at the moment that your economics are going to change dramatically," he said in the interview with Sky News.
"At the moment it doesn't look very likely, does it, because the economics aren't in the right place.
"If the economics aren't right, if it won't help your country economically, you don't do it. Now, at the moment there is no part of business and industry clamouring to say we need this for our economy, so it doesn't look very likely."
04/27/2005 19:22 GMT