Divisions over the fate of the European constitution deepened on Thursday as Germany and Britain embarked on opposing diplomatic initiatives amid revelations that senior European commissioners have been privately pushing for the treaty to be suspended.

Gerhard Schröder, German chancellor, on Thursday launched a round of diplomacy aimed at keeping ratification of the constitution going in spite of referendum defeats in France and The Netherlands. But Tony Blair, UK prime minister, has begun a rival push to put the processon hold.