by political editor Paul Francis

Long-standing Conservative MP Roger Gale has called for a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty regardless of whether it has been endorsed by the European Union.

The Herne Bay MP put himself at odds with his party leadership in declaring that he wanted British people to have a vote on whether to accept the Lisbon Treaty, even if it has been ratified by the time the next General Election is held.

Speaking after the Irish backed the treaty in a second vote at the weekend, Mr Gale said:

"I want to see my own party make a clear commitment to a referendum on the treaty whether or not it has, by the time of the next General Election, been ratified.

"I understand those who say that if the treaty is already ratified then the result of a referendum would be worth little more than an opinion poll but I do not share that view. "

Tory leader David Cameron has indicated that he will stage a referendum if the treaty has not been rubber-stamped by the time of the election but has not spelled out what he would do if it has been.

That has led to growing calls among some Conservatives for a commitment to hold a vote regardless.

Mr Gale said it was "completely clear that to take Britain into the Lisbon Treaty without the promised referendum on the Constitution would be quite wrong."

He added: "The time has clearly arrived when the people of the United Kingdom must be allowed to voice their opinion on the future of our country."

If the people of the UK rejected the treaty, the next Government would have to find a way to extricate itself, the MP said.