Cardiff - The British Prime Minister's office yesterday denied a report that it had blocked a proposal to confer a knighthood on Richard Branson. The Mail on Sunday claimed that the Conservative leader, Mr William Hague, had nominated Mr Branson (47) but Downing Street had blocked the idea for political reasons.
Mr Blair's chief spokesman did not deny that Mr Hague had nominated Mr Branson, but he added: "This story is completely, totally, 100 per cent untrue."