“It’s a very high-risk gamble..”

Here’s one to watch out for. BBC Europe editor Mark Mardell has a prediction.

My prediction is that next week the Irish government will announce that it will ask the Irish people to vote again on the Lisbon Treaty in a new referendum next autumn.

The Irish prime minister is on a whistle-stop tour of Europe – first Luxembourg, then Germany, London on Thursday then a quick trip to Paris on Friday. While he does the major players, his Europe minister is visiting the capitals of the smaller countries. (Luxembourg may be a tiny country but Jean-Claude Juncker is a big player, on account of his political longevity and his role leading the eurozone countries.)

What they are hammering out is the outline of a deal to put to next week’s European Council. They are looking for something that would allow them to say this is not holding the same vote all over again.

Pete Baker