Businessman wins legal bid to fight EU treaty vote

By Andrew Hough

LONDON (Reuters) - A millionaire won a legal bid on Friday to launch a court challenge against the government's refusal to hold a referendum on the European Union reform treaty.

Businessman Stuart Wheeler, a prominent donor to the Conservative Party, is now free to launch a judicial review against the government's decision to ratify the Lisbon treaty without a public vote.

On the same day as Prime Minister Gordon Brown was pondering his local election mauling, High Court judge Robert Owen granted the founder of spread-betting company IG Group permission to launch the challenge.

He ruled the 73 year-old's case was "arguable".

If Wheeler is successful, the government will be forced to hold a referendum.

Last month, Brown defeated a parliamentary bid to force him to call a referendum on the treaty, which overhauls EU institutions, despite about 25 members of his own party voting with the opposition.

All three major parties pledged during the 2005 general election campaign to hold a referendum on the EU constitution.

Wheeler claims that, as a result of comments made by former Premier Tony Blair -- and further promises from Brown -- he had a "legitimate expectation" about the prospect of a referendum.