" This is a massive victory for Referendum04's supporters. When we began the campaign the Government were adamant that the Constitution was nothing more than a 'tidying-up' exercise. However, by successfully targeting individual MP's and putting them under intense local pressue, along with our street petitions which are being networked across the country both physically and electronically, the word has eventually got back to the Prime Minister that to deny the people their say on the future governance of the country would be political suicide.

"We also ensured that the Prime Minister was directly aware of the public mood. He had stated that he rarely received correspondence on the European issue. On 6th December 2003 at 12 noon all that changed when the Prime Minister's e-mail address was visited by tens of thousands of 'Virtual Marchers' which caused the Downing Street site to collapse.

"The pressure has become too intense and with the European Elections just weeks away Blair has been backed into a corner.

"May I take the opportunity to thank all the organisations, groups and individuals who have supported the campaign and we can raise a collective glass to our success.

"The big battle, a debate denied for nearly thirty years, about the future governance of this country will now commence and we will once again be in the front line leading the way."