Ratification "on hold"

The BBC reports that Gordon Brown has put the ratification of the Constitutional Reform Lisbon Treaty on hold "until the High Court has ruled on a bid to force a British referendum".

The judge has expressed surprise that the government had pressed ahead with ratification in the circumstances. Well, indeed, a number of peers argued precisely that, though referring to the Irish result, which has actually killed the treaty as it exists. What was the hurry?

We were told that ratification was vitally important to give the Prime Minister a stronger hand during the European Council when he was, allegedly, going to have to represent Britain's interests. It seems that he has not got that stronger hand but then he was not about to represent our interests, anyway.