Clegg criticises Prime Minister over Olympic torch parade involvement

6.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 8th Apr 2008

The Beijing Olympic Games torch relay yesterday featured ugly scenes of protest, which disrupted the London leg of the tour that was billed as a journey of harmony and peace. More than 35 protesters were arrested in a series of clashes with the police, who had to reroute part of the procession to protect the 80 runners. Nick Clegg said it was "wholly inappropriate" for Gordon Brown to receive the torch at Downing Street during the parade.

Nick Clegg said "I think it is wholly inappropriate that Gordon Brown is participating in this torch bearing ceremony today and I think it will be wrong for him to go to the opening ceremony on August the 8th, unless the Chinese government were to show some real steps, to have some talks with the Dalai Lama, allow journalists into Tibet, bring their full influence to bear in Darfur, and, for instance, ratify the international covenant on political and civil rights which they signed ten years ago but have still not ratified."