Most Britons felt cheated by Brown: U.K. survey

London, July 23 (PTI) - An overwhelming majority of respondents in a survey felt "cheated" by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's ratification of the E.U. Treaty, anews report has said.

The survey by the Daily Express showed that 99 per cent of its readers felt "cheated" with the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. They felt that Brown had "surrenderedsovereignty" to Europe, the British tabloid said.

So far 10 nations, including Britain, have formally ratified the treaty while 12 are close to completing theprocess.

Those surveyed were concerned that the treaty is a major step towards a European superstate that will eventuallywipe out the nation-state system.

Thousands of respondents demanded that Labour Party allow a referendum on the issue as "promised" before the lastgeneral election, the report said.

Critics hope to stall the treaty as all 27 nations inthe E.U. must ratify it for it to come into force.

The Irish people – who were given a referendum – havealready rejected it.

The treaty scraps national vetoes over E.U. decisions in dozens of policy areas. Some experts fear that Britain will even lose control over immigration and the criminal justice system. PTI RBS