High Court rejects bid to block EU treaty

By Peter Graff

LONDON (Reuters) - The High Court rejected a lawsuit on Wednesday that sought to halt the country's approval of an EU reform treaty, ending another threat to a pact that has stalled after Irish voters rejected it.

Businessman Stuart Wheeler had brought the case to try to force the government to hold a referendum before ratifying the Lisbon treaty, which seeks to streamline decision-making in the 27-member bloc and would create a full-time European president.

"We have found nothing in the claimant's case to cast doubt on the lawfulness of ratifying the Lisbon treaty without a referendum," the judge, Lord Justice Stephen Richards, said in his ruling.

He refused Wheeler leave to appeal in the High Court, saying: "We are satisfied an appeal has no prospect of success."

Wheeler said his lawyers would take the case one step higher and apply to the Court of Appeal for permission to challenge the verdict.

The Lisbon treaty is in jeopardy because it was rejected this month by Irish voters in a referendum and must be adopted by all 27 EU members to take force.

The treaty replaces an EU constitution that was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005. This time, Ireland has been the only country to hold a referendum. Parliaments in 19 countries have so far voted to ratify it, including Britain.

The government had promised a referendum on the EU constitution before it was scuppered, but says it does not need one on the new treaty.