Campaigners have demanded Gordon Brown comes clean over his decision not to attend the opening of the Beijing Olympics and say outright he will not go because of China’s poor human rights record.
The prime minister has announced he will not attend the opening ceremony – with Olympics minister Tessa Jowell taking his place – but he will go to the closing ceremony, an a move reminiscent of his late appearance at the signing of the EU Reform Treaty in December.
The Free Tibet Campaign (FTC) has now called on Mr Brown to state clearly why he is not going to the opening of the Olympics.
Matt Whitticase, of FTC, told Channel 4 News: “I’m delighted if he’s not going to go but he must, absolutely must, say he’s not going because of his concerns over human rights.
“It must be made clear; this is the only way the Chinese government will be put in a position where they’re seen to be standing there at the opening ceremony with no Gordon Brown – that would be very embarrassing.”
