Britain risks becoming even more alienated within the European Union after the traditionally anti-EU Denmark revealed Thursday it would offer its citizens a vote on EU integration.

The Timesreports:

Britain faced further isolation within the European Union yesterday after Denmark announced that it was giving its citizens the chance to vote in a referendum on its relationship with Europe.Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the country’s recently re-elected prime minister, announced plans to give Danes a say in joining the euro and ending Denmark’s opt-outs from Brussels.He said that staying outside the single currency and retaining opt-outs on defense, justice and home affairs were damaging his country’s relationship with the EU. The referendum question could also include the new EU treaty, to be signed by heads of government next month.

New British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, already under extreme pressure to hold a referendum in Britain, now finds himself in an even more uncomfortable position. The Times notes:

The news that the Danes are to be offered a referendum on closer integration with the EU caused difficulties for the British government … last night.

Euroskeptic Conservative backbenchers seized the opportunity to drive the point home. Member of Parliament Philip Davies said, “It’s good to see that at least one incoming leader has the courage to put his country’s relation with the EU to the people. It’s a shame our own prime minister is refusing to honor the promise he made to do the same.”

Should a referendum in Denmark result in popular endorsement of the pro-EU prime minister’s plan, Britain and Sweden would be left as the only pre-2004 member countries not to have adopted the euro. And Britain and Ireland would be the only states to still have opt-outs in the areas of justice and home affairs.

Recent opinion polls indicate that a majority of Danes would vote yes to switching to the euro and also to abandoning the exemptions on joint defense and judiciary cooperation.

This announcement is just one more blow to Prime Minister Brown’s efforts to convince his people that a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty is unnecessary. The British public unsuccessfully clamored for a referendum before the Lisbon Treaty was agreed last month. Still, opposition leader David Cameron has threatened to hold out for a referendum even after the treaty is ratified.

Denmark’s move will increase the pressure on Brown even more. And with Britons becoming increasingly Euroskeptic, such a referendum would certainly result in further marginalizing Britain from the EU. TheTrumpet.com believes Britain’s days as a member of the European Union are numbered. Read “When Britain Leaves Europe …” in the upcoming January issue of the Trumpet for a detailed explanation why.