After series of one-on-one meetings with fellow EU leaders, Mr Blair said he was “making progress” on Britain’s four “red line” issues: that the new treaty should not affect Britain’s ability to determine its own labour laws, foreign policy, domestic law on issues such as tax and benefits and criminal and jurisprudence legislation.

A Government spokesman said Britain now considered it was “sufficiently protected” over the charter of human, civil and social rights, even if the declaration became legally binding in any revised treaty

On justice and home affairs policy, efforts to whittle away at the national veto have also been resisted, said the spokesman, with Britain likely to be able to “opt in” to joint EU criminal law and judicial policy only when it wishes.