The British are demanding a referendum on the European Union’s reform treaty as it goes in for finishing touches at a meeting of EU leaders in Lisbon Thursday next week. Pressure on Prime Minister Gordon Brown is increasing in spite of, and possibly in part because of, Brown’s maneuvers to safeguard British interests on his own terms without putting the treaty itself to a vote.

“We do not need to put forward the idea of a referendum because our objectives have been achieved,” Brown said on Thursday, according to Bloomberg. “I’m a cautious man. Let’s wait and see what decisions take place next week.”

Brown has walked a tightrope in negotiating what is widely regarded as a cloaked version of the EU constitution, which failed after voters in France and the Netherlands rejected it in 2005. On one end, European nations are growing frustrated with Britain and its sluggish, opt-out approach to unification. On the other, the British people have indicated they would cut down the treaty if given the chance.

And more and more Britons are demanding the chance.

Some feel that the provisions of the reform treaty already cede too much to Brussels. These include the power to create an EU foreign minister and the power to sign binding foreign-policy treaties. Under the treaty, London also cedes veto power in over 40 areas, including energy, space, immigration and transportation policy.

The government’s remaining “red lines,” which include preserving British self-determination for labor and social law, social security, police, legal and judicial powers, and foreign and defense policy, are supposed to remain untouched in Lisbon.

“If we were to go beyond our red lines, we could not accept the amending treaty,” Brown said.

British conservatives, however, are dubious and continue to push hard for a referendum.

If Britain’s red lines were not met, Brown’s spokesman stated, “We would either veto the treaty, or there would be a referendum.”

Whether through a referendum on the reform treaty or by some other means, expect Britain to break away from the European unification project. For more on what this event means for the future, read “The Millstone to EU Unification Is About to Be Cut Loose.”