London, April 26: Denis MacShane, a Labour MP, has accused the Buckingham Palace of being anti-Labour for not inviting former prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to the Royal Wedding.
“Palace courtiers look down at anybody Labour,” MacShane said.
Labour MPs said the wedding would be a politicized ceremony to the advantage of Tories.
They criticized Prince William and Kate Middleton for not inviting Blair and Brown. However, the former Conservative leaders Margaret Thatcher and John Major were sent invitations.
Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, is the only Labour politician who would attend the wedding.
PM David Cameron, Deputy PM Nick Clegg, Chancellor George Osborne, Foreign Secretary William Hague, Home Secretary Theresa May and Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt have all been sent invitations.
Palace explained that the reason for not inviting Blair and Brown was that they were not Knights of the Garter. However, all living former prime ministers attended Diana's wedding in 1981.
However, St James's Palace, Prince William's office, announced that the wedding is "not a state occasion so there is no reason why they (Blair and Brown) would be invited."
Blair's relationship with the palace is said to have been strained during his time as prime minister. Cherie Blair, his wife, also refused to curtsy to the Royals for the Queen Mother in 2002.
Ambassadors from pariah states including North Korea and Zimbabwe were also invited to the wedding. However, the invitation of Libyan Ambassador Omar Jelban was revoked.
--------Agencies
Post new comment