FRENCH voters have hugely rejected the EU Constitution, prompting the resignation of French prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin.

Dominique de Villepin, the former foreign minister, has been named as the country’s new prime minister.

His role is to give ‘fresh impetus’ to government policy following the constitution rejection.

In the UK, Europe minister Denis Macshane has lost his job with the post now filled by Douglas Alexander, an ally of Chancellor Gordon Brown.