Pressure grows on Brown to boycott Olympics

Pressure grows on Brown to boycott Olympics

Monday, 04, Aug 2008 03:51

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has called on Gordon Brown to boycott the Beijing Olympics closing ceremony, less than a week after a politics.co.uk poll found 86 per cent of respondents thought Mr Brown should not attend the Games.

In a letter to the prime minister, Mr Clegg said: "I urge you not to attend the closing ceremony of the Beijing Games, or indeed any other ceremonies associated with them.

"Given China's utter failure to deliver on its human rights promises, it is simply untenable for any representative of the United Kingdom to give political endorsement to these Games."

The strongly worded letter goes on to say the International Olympic Committee has been humiliated by recent Chinese government behaviour and says the regime "does not deserve to host the world's best athletes".

Mr Clegg is not the only one to think Mr Brown should not attend the Games. Several allies of the prime minister are warning him to stay at home so he can prevent any leadership bids in his absence.