EUROPE tends to bring out the worst in our politicians.

There are eurosceptics, who treat everything coming out of Brussels with deep suspicion and enmity. Then there are the europhiles, who have little or no fear about the future role our continental friends will have in our affairs.

Sadly, too few politicians take a genuinely dispassionate view of the issue.

With extremists hogging the debate, there is little scope for reasoned and constructive analysis.

Yesterday's publication of the long-awaited draft for a new constitution of the European Union was a case in point.

For the eurosceptics, Michael Ancram talked of the end of civilisation as we know it; of our nation's independence being flattened by the steamroller of a centralised European super-state.

For the europhiles, Peter Hain spoke of a good deal, which would protect Britain's vital national interests.

One wonders whether both men had been studying the same document?

The thrust of the draft constitution probably lies somewhere between the two extremes.

Mr Ancram's opposition is to be expected from a Conservative leadership in which anti-European sentiment is a rare focal point for agreement.

His dire warning of an oncoming centralised superstate, however, does not tally with the likely opposition to such a creation from the European powerhouses of France and Germany who, like Britain, fiercely guard their national identities and independence.

Mr Hain's welcome for the draft is mealy-mouthed. He may take comfort from the absence of the word federal from the document. But do not the election of an EU president and the appointment of an EU foreign minister to oversee diplomatic and defence policies smack of a shift away from a loose political configuration of nations to a more homogenous federation?

The standard of political debate on the future of Europe is too poor for the British public to make a judgement.

The benefit of a referendum may be that a campaign ahead of the vote may encourage a more objective examination of the issue and paint a true picture on which we can deliver our verdict.