Ian Cawsey, Gordon Brown's Labour MP for Brigg and Goole last night voted to prevent local residents from having a say on the new EU Constitution despite having been elected on a pledge to offer a referendum.

We should perhaps not be so surprised that a Labour MP has broken another promise but this one is different as it goes to the root of how we are governed. Under the new Constitution, many powers will be given up to Brussels, an EU President wil be created and an EU Foreign Minister and diplimatic corps will come into being. In other words the independence of our country will be diluted.

The 2005 election manifesto of Labour stated clearly that they would offer a vote on the constitution. Mr Cawsey was elected on that pledge but last night decided to put blind loyalty (he is Vice Chairman of the Labour Party after all) to Gordon Brown and Labour ahead of local people. Shame on you!

There were some Labour MPs who did decide to put the people first and stick by the pledge they had been elected on. 29 Labour MPs supported the Conservative amendment calling for a referendum including Austin Mitchell, Kate Hoey and Frank Field. I think the quality of the Labour MPs who supported the referendum speaks for itself.  Hard working independently minded MPs, as opposed to careerist yes men and women.