PM not attending Olympics opening

 

The torch's visit to London was disrupted by anti-China protesters

 

Prime Minister Gordon Brown will not attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, Downing Street says.

 

However, he will be at the closing ceremony when the Olympic baton will be passed to London.

 

A spokeswoman said Mr Brown had never planned to attend the ceremony and was not boycotting the Games.

 

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said Mr Brown "seems to do the right thing late in the day when he is forced to do so because of public opinion".

 

Mr Clegg, speaking to Channel Four News, branded the move a "last-minute U-turn".

 

The Olympics minister Tessa Jowell will represent the UK at the opening in Beijing in August.

 

Under pressure

 

Mr Brown - who has been under pressure to boycott the Olympics over China's human rights record - has never specifically said he will attend the opening ceremony.

 

And BBC political correspondent Carole Walker said Downing Street felt it would not make sense for him to go to China twice.

 

However he has talked of attending plural "ceremonies".

 

On 27 March, at a press conference during France's President Sarkozy's visit, he said: "We will not be boycotting the Olympic Games; Britain will be attending the Olympic Games ceremonies.

 

"At the same time, the president has said that the Dalai Lama has not called for a boycott of the Olympic Games."

 

At his Downing Street news conference on 1 April, Mr Brown said: "I think President Sarkozy said himself that he expected Britain, because we are going to host the next Olympics, to be present at the Olympic ceremonies and I will certainly be there."

 

It comes as the Olympic torch arrives in San Francisco under tight security for the sixth leg of its round-the-world relay.

 

Barricades have been set up and streets sealed off close to the planned relay route. Police leave has been cancelled.

 

Protests have already caused serious disruption to legs in London and Paris. In Paris, the torch had to be extinguished three times, while in London there were 37 arrests.

 

Mr Brown attracted controversy for receiving the Olympic torch outside 10 Downing Street, although he did not hold it.

 

Most demonstrators are protesting over a security crackdown in Tibet after anti-Chinese unrest.

 

Tibetan exile groups say Chinese security forces killed dozens of protesters. Beijing says about 19 people were killed in rioting.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7339580.stm

Thats good news, I hope more politicians embarrass China by not attending.

Gordon Brown has basically been forced into this because it looks very bad if he attends - just like Nick Clegg said.

 

What we really want is a prime minister who comes out and says very bluntly that the actions of the Chinese government are unacceptable and we must not support them.

 

But unfortunately we do not have a PM who would dare to give REAL and MEANINGFUL objections about Chinas corrupt government. Firstly, because China is a super-power - if this was a government similar to that of a county like Zimbabwe then he would have condemned this instantly & daily. And secondly - Gordon Brown is a horrid, elitist puppet.

 

What we really want is a prime minister who comes out and says very bluntly that the actions of the Chinese government are unacceptable and we must not support them.

 

Everybody is too heavily invested in China, or China invested in them to come out and say anything negative about China. Good old neoliberalization!

Gordon Brown has basically been forced into this because it looks very bad if he attends - just like Nick Clegg said.

 

What we really want is a prime minister who comes out and says very bluntly that the actions of the Chinese government are unacceptable and we must not support them.

 

But unfortunately we do not have a PM who would dare to give REAL and MEANINGFUL objections about Chinas corrupt government. Firstly, because China is a super-power - if this was a government similar to that of a county like Zimbabwe then he would have condemned this instantly & daily. And secondly - Gordon Brown is a horrid, elitist puppet.

 

Same problem in Canada.:cry:

Everybody is too heavily invested in China, or China invested in them to come out and say anything negative about China. Good old neoliberalization!

 

I agree, although I try to avoid products stamped "Made in China", but sometimes it's impossible

A piece of advice to all you ppl: Go to Tibet and see for yourselves! Ask those local ppl whether they are being oppressed or not!

They are and have spoken out about it....it's been well documented how oppressed they are.

Ok then , i go hire some ppl, and pay them to say" We are Tibetans.We are being oppressed. We want freedom!" Then i take down what they say. Yes, they are spoken out about and "Well"documented. Have you seen the gossips on some tabloids? They are spoken out about, but do you buy it?Something documented does not necessarily mean it's true! The Catholic Church said "Earth is the center of the Universe", and it's well documented, but is it true?!

Go see this thread http://forums.coldplaying.com/showthread.php?t=43836

It's a thread started by a non-Chinese. And a good chance to learn more about Tibetan History!