A REFERENDUM on the European Union constitution will expose the "lies and distortions of the eurosceptics", claims a Bolton Euro-MP.

The Prime Minister is expected to announce this week his intention to put the constitution to a public vote, after it has been ratified by Parliament.

North-west Liberal Democrat Euro MP, Chris Davies, said: "The time is long overdue for eurosceptics to be forced to explain how Britain is going to shape the policies of a single market, including nearly 500 million people, without being a full member of the EU.

"They are going to have to tell us how we tackle the immense problems of the environment, of terrorism and organised crime, of immigration and asylum seekers, without developing common policies with our European partners," he added.

Mr Davies claims the constitution is far from perfect but said that in almost every respect it is an improvement on the existing treaties.

He said: "It will give Europe a stronger voice in a world too dominated by George Bush, and it will strengthen the power of national parliaments to hold ministers to account about the decisions they take in Brussels."