IT would have been a waste of taxpayers' money had Britain continued on its path towards a referendum on the European Union constitution.

We saw such expense in the North-East last year: all the literature, TV adverts and ministerial visits attempting to make the region say yes.

Following the 'No' from the French and Dutch, there is now nothing for the British to vote upon. It was extremely arrogant of French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schrder to insist that other EU members should press on with ratification.

One of the biggest problems with Europe is that it is too distant from ordinary people. If ratification were to continue, Europe would be seen to be riding roughshod over the views of the little people.

Europe - and that includes the rulers of France and Germany - has to listen. With Britain, the Republic of Ireland, Denmark, Poland and Portugal - and even Luxembourg - all wobbling, the French and Dutch nay-saying cannot be discounted as an isolated case.

But we shall have to be vigilant. The EU has form on asking the question over and over again until it eventually gets the answer it wants.

There is also concern that some of the major parts of the Constitution will be tagged onto other legislation and sneaked in through the back door. This must also be guarded against - if only to protect the EU from what seem to be its natural instincts not to listen.

These, though, are interesting times. Jack Straw yesterday, very diplomatically, stood up to the Franco-German axis that has run Europe for the last 50 years. He is saying that there is an alternative view, a British view, of how Europe might develop: a wider, broader, more shallow Europe of many nations happily trading together as opposed to the Franco-German view of a narrower, deeper, tighter federation of a few nations working together under a single currency.

With Tony Blair about to take on the presidency of the EU, and the June 16 summit looming, it shall be fascinating to see whether there is any substance to that British view and whether we might - after all the talk of being at the "heart of Europe" - be able to provide effective leadership.