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Tue 09 Sep 2007Village power comes into play on EU reform treatyEuropean DiaryThe tiny village of East Stoke in Dorset went to the polls last week to begin a campaign aimed at shaping Britain's future role in Europe.Alarmed at British prime minister Gordon Brown's plan to ratify the European Union reform treaty in parliament, 72 of East Stoke's 333 residents turned out to cast a ballot in favour of holding a nationwide referendum on the new treaty. A further eight residents voted against holding a poll to ratify the proposed new treaty, which will change how the EU takes decisions and sets new policy priorities for the union.