Politicians opposed to the EU treaty yesterday launched their campaign for a referendum in a government minister's constituency.

A group of campaigners comprising EU, Westminster and Holyrood members from the Conservative Party and SNP took to the streets of Barrhead in Europe Minister Jim Murphy's Eastwood seat on the first day of the "I Want a Referendum" vote.

The group is staging its own elections in 10 constituencies across the UK in a bid to force the Prime Minister to declare a referendum.

MEP Struan Stevenson, MSP Jackson Carlaw, and Gordon Archer, SNP Westminster candidate in Eastwood, said they hoped a good turnout would embarrass the government into calling a nationwide poll. Mr Stevenson said: "Labour promised a referendum, and they need to honour that policy."

Ballot papers were delivered to 67,000 people in East Renfrewshire. The results will be announced later this month.