July 9 (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Gordon Brown said there would be no need for a U.K. referendum on the proposed European Union constitutional treaty, so long as five British ``red lines,'' agreed at negotiations in Brussels last month, were maintained in the detail of the document.

``I want to ensure that these red lines in detail are part of the new amending treaty,'' Brown said at a press conference with Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates, who holds the European Union's rotating presidency. ``If that were the case I see no reason to recommend a referendum to the British people.''

Britain was represented at the EU negotiations, which finished early on June 23, by Tony Blair, who Brown succeeded on June 27. He ruled out anything that would have given the EU control over British justice, foreign, welfare or tax policy.

The opposition Conservatives say Brown should call a referendum on the treaty, arguing that it is too close to the proposed EU constitution, which failed in 2005 after French and Dutch voters rejected it. Polls suggest British voters probably would vote against a treaty on the EU in the U.K.

In reply Socrates, speaking through a translator, said he saw ``no problem for Great Britain to make the treaty.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Robert Hutton in London at rhutton1@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: July 9, 2007 06:16 EDT