Are we engaged?

The government has officially popped the question for the EU constitution referendum.

As correctly forecast by the Financial Times and others, the country is to be asked: "Should the United Kingdom approve the treaty establishing a constitution for the European Union?''

The question is to be included the question in the European Union Bill, which provides for the UK to ratify the treaty subject to the referendum. Chancellor Gordon Brown told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I believe people will see the question as a simple, straightforward question about whether people support the new EU constitution.''

The Tories and Liberal Democrats said the wording of the question seemed straightforward. But, having popped the question, we need to know the answer.. and for that we will have to wait.