Alex Singleton | Journalist and political commentator

A mock constitutional treaty for the EU has been published by a group of prominent European figures, headed by Giuliano Amato, former Italian prime minister. Fifteen others sat with Mr Amato, including former EU commissioner Chris Patten. The mock treaty incorporates main elements of the rejected 2005 constitution but is much shorter. It drops the section on EU symbols - like the flag and anthem. But it’s largely the same thing - or as French MEP Alain Lamassoure said last month, “We will play the European hymn or fly the flag whether it is mentioned in the new treaty or not.”.

President Sarkozy of France has started lobbying Britain’s Gordon Brown to win his support for the treaty before the summit of heads of government on June 21 and 22. The British position that it would like the treaty to say as little as possible has some traction because it can be argued that a more dramatic treaty would need a referendum. Yet everyone knows the UK will give significant ground during the negotiations (while winning some points). But could the UK government have achieved more by putting forward a mock constitution of its own, proposing a different vision? Sarkozy is very happy to give his views on what should be in the treaty; one gets the impression the British government would rather not talk about it. That’s not always the most effective way to win a debate.