Brussels, 06/03/2008 (Agence Europe) - The British Parliament (House of Commons) no doubt brought to an end the debate on organising a referendum in the United Kingdom on the Lisbon Treaty by rejecting, on Wednesday evening 5 March, a text put forward by the Conservative opposition calling for the British people to vote on the new EU treaty. After six hours of heated debate, the Tories' amendment was rejected by 311 votes to 248, i.e. by a 63 vote majority. The debate revealed deep division within all British political parties but mainly within the Liberal Democrats. Three eminent members of this opposition party even resigned after the vote, refusing to tow the party line of abstention. There is also division within the Labour Party under Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is categorically against a referendum as he feels the Lisbon Treaty is no longer comparable to the former draft treaty that Tony Blair had promised to put to the people's vote. 25 Labour MPs have voted in favour of a referendum. (H.B.)