Vaclav Klaus, the Czech president, yesterday afternoon signed the Lisbon treaty, finally completing the ratification process of the charter designed to transform Europe into a more unified and influential global player.

Klaus, widely known for his Eurosceptic views, announced that he had signed the treaty at Prague Castle after the Czech constitutional court announced its decision that the document, which has already been ratified by all 26 other EU countries, does not violate the country’s constitution.

Klaus’s signature sealed a painful eight-year effort to bring about a wide range of major constitutional reforms of the EU. Jason Burke, The Guardian.

So where does that leave Cameron’s cast iron guarantee of a referendum on the treaty – rusting.