THE good news that Tony Blair has finally agreed to hold a referendum on the proposed EU Constitution is a remarkable U-turn.

Some would say it is a major defeat for the Prime Minister. Those of us who have been campaigning for the money for years consider it a major victory, and would of course like to take the credit.

But really the victory belongs to those from all political parties -- and from no parties -- who have written letters and postcards, who have signed petitions and who have raised the noise level progressively over recent months.

It is a victory for the people themselves that the people will finally have their say.

Some newspapers say the Prime Minister has been pushed into this out of weakness. He was actually pushed into it because he was wrong.

He tried to maintain that the proposals from Brussels were merely "a tidying-up exercise" rather than a fundamental shift in the way the UK might be governed. The people simply did not believe him.

Seven countries have already committed to holding referendums within the coming 12 months: the Czech Republic, Denmark, Luxembourg, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.

Their timing is not yet clear, but several have indicated they want it sooner rather than later. Some are certainly looking at a date later this year, given that the proposals are due to be signed off by the Council of Ministers in June. This would certainly make sense.

The Prime Minister should note this well: the people will not be impressed by a deliberate delay until late 2005.

DEN DOVER, Conservative MEP for North West England, Countess Way, Euxton, Chorley.