Govt must 'strip Mugabe of knighthood'

William Hague agreed with the prime minister's recent efforts against Mugabe, but claimed the govt must also strip him of his knighthood.

Tuesday, 02, Oct 2007 12:00

The government was under pressure today to strip Robert Mugabe of his honorary knighthood.

Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said Mugabe and his "parasitic cronies" must be under no doubt they are international pariahs, calling for a raft of international sanctions and diplomatic condemnation.

Speaking at the Conservative party conference, Mr Hague said: "[Mugabe] still enjoys an honorary knighthood from Britain.

"It is time it was stripped from him."

The Zimbabwean ruler was awarded the honour under John Major's government in 1994, despite international condemnation for his role in the massacre of Zimbabwean citizens.

Today Mr Hague welcomed the prime minister's call to bar Mugabe from the EU-African summit, but said the EU must go further to widen sanctions against the Zimbabwe regime.

He also condemned African nations for not doing enough to condemn Mugabe's rule. Although Zimbabwe's Commonwealth membership has been suspended, other states oppose isolating the regime.

Mr Hague said today Zimbabwe had become a "monument to the truth that although the power, even of a good government to do good is not infinite, the power of a bad one to do harm knows no limits."

Downing Street has made clear the prime minister will not attend the African summit if Mugabe is allowed a seat at the table. However, Gordon Brown would, hypothetically, meet with other Zimbabwean representatives.

Mr Brown has shown willingness to toughen sanctions against Zimbabwe through the EU and last month said the UK was preparing to table wider restrictions on the regime's travel and financial arrangements.