London:The guest list for Britian’s Royal Wedding has sparked controversy over the invitation of leaders from some countries with poor rights record and exclusion of two former Prime Ministers .

 

It has come as a surprise to many that Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were given the royal snub in the release of the intvite to the upcoming Royal wedding.Blair  served as Prime Minister from 1997-2007 while Brown from 2007-2010. Some suspect and cite the fact that botth were also not knights of the Garter, Britain’s Highest Honour. St.James Palace, the official office of Prince William clearifid that it was,’ not a state occassion so there is no reason why they would be invited’. Other surprise were invitation to conservatives, John Major and Margaret Thatcher.

Rights groups have also protested the invitation of some foreign Royals like Swaziland and Bahrain for their poor Human Rights record recently. However Prince Salman of Bahrain has confirmed his attendance inspite of the recent violent crackdown on pro-democracy potestors. It was thought the Gulf state ruler’s would avoid embarssment and not come. Anti- monarchy campaigner hit out at inclusion of royals from Saidia Arabia, Oman, Brunie, Qatar, Lesotho, Bhutan and Kuwait as well.