Gordon Brown last night comfortably saw off a Conservative attempt to force a referendum on the controversial Lisbon Treaty by a Commons majority of 63.

However, the defeat will not stop the debate from raging on and will shortly move to the Lords.

The Conservative amendment to have a poll was defeated by 311 to 248. The majority increased by one to 64 after a Labour rebel amendment, tabled by Ian Davidson, Glasgow South West, left the door open to having a vote on Britain's EU membership.

The Labour rebels numbered 29, representing the largest act of defiance since the Prime Minister took over last June. Some 13 Liberal Democrats defied their leader while three Tories defied theirs.

During a six-hour debate - attended by Alex Salmond, First Minister - David Miliband, Foreign Secretary, put the UK Government's case against a referendum, saying one should only be held when a "fundamental" shift of power were to take place. He argued the Lisbon Treaty did not represent one and any referendum was, in a sense, an abdication of power by the Westminster Parliament and the UK Government.

He told MPs: "This government intend to make no such abdication of their responsibilities, neither do we intend to invite the House to abdicate from its responsibility."

For the Tories, William Hague said: "What has really changed between Tony Blair standing at the dispatch box and saying let battle be joined in a referendum in April 2004, and the current Prime Minister saying let battle be avoided at any cost and please don't let me be photographed at the signing ceremony?

"Two things have changed: the General Election of 2005 was got out of the way and the government have decided that a referendum cannot be held because they do not think they would win it."

Mr Davidson said: "If we want to stop the disillusionment and cynicism about politics, we've got to recognise people out there expect us to keep our promises when we make them and that's why ... I believe we are honour-bound to abide by our commitment to a referendum."

Party politically, the biggest fall-out of the night was for Nick Clegg and his leadership of the Liberal Democrats. He had ordered his MPs to abstain on the Tory vote because the leadership believes there should be a referendum not on the treaty but on Britain's membership of the EU.

Among those who voted for a poll on the treaty were Alistair Carmichael, David Heath and Tim Farron, who respectively held the portfolios of Scotland, Justice and Environment.

Mr Clegg said he greatly regretted the loss of his three colleagues, but the matter of collective responsibility meant they could not stay. Last night, he sought to play down the significance of the resignations, saying: "It is not such a big thing that from time to time in a parliamentary party there is a division of opinion."

He also signalled the three who resigned could expect a recall to the front bench, saying: "I'm not banishing people to outer Siberia."

Angus Robertson for the SNP, whose MPs also voted for a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, said the defeat represented "a breach of trust with the whole country".