As currently constituted, the EU defence force will progressively move away from Nato

William Hague

The opposition leader's comments followed a statement in the House of Commons by Prime Minister Tony Blair on the deal hammered out at the summit.

Following his return to the UK, the prime minister hailed the Nice treaty - which paves the way for EU enlargement - as a success for Britain.

He said: "The ideas for future reform in the EU, which Britain put forward a few weeks ago, are now essential so that a more rational way of decision making is achieved.

"Today, there is the real prospect of uniting western and eastern Europe for the first time in generations," Mr Blair said.

Citing the increase in the strength of the UK's vote achieved at the summit, the prime minister said his government had achieved "all our objectives".

"It is possible to fight Britain's corner, get the best out of Europe for Britain and exercise real authority and influence in Europe," Mr Blair said.

But Mr Hague argued that Mr Blair had "signed away" Britain's veto in 23 areas, giving European institutions an opportunity to impose further integration against Britain's will.

And he said a Tory government would not ratify the treaty.

In noisy exchanges, the Tory leader said issues like the proposed EU charter of fundamental rights and the European rapid reaction force were simply steps towards greater integration.

Hague on his feet in the Commons

"As currently constituted, the EU defence force will progressively move away from Nato," Mr Hague said.

If the treaty had been designed to assist EU enlargement then the member states would have undertaken a reform of the common agriculture policy and returned powers to individual nation states, he argued.

'Wasted' opportunity

The prime minister had wasted an opportunity to argue for the kind of Europe that would be welcomed by the majority of British people, Mr Hague said.

It was down to the Conservatives to argue the case for "a modern, reformed, flexible Europe."

The Tory leader's comments were rounded on by Mr Blair, who said Mr Hague was taking a pick and choose approach to the EU.

It was very good indeed that an outcome was achieved because the alternative would have been a disentangling of Europe itself

Charles Kennedy

The Conservative Party's policy on Europe was tantamount to "full rounded idiocy," Mr Blair said.

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy said he greeted the outcome of the Nice summit with "relief but not rapture".

He said the agreement meant that the "Tory fox on Europe has been well and truly shot".

"It was very good indeed that an outcome was achieved because the alternative would have been a disentangling of Europe itself," Mr Kennedy said.

However, he criticised the length of time it would take to allow former communist bloc countries to join the union and urged that the system be speeded up.

Replying, Mr Blair said that a specific date had not been given to each applicant country because the process of joining involved the achievement of certain economic objectives.

"We hope that by 2004 they will be there," he said.