The political row over comments the Conservative Party leader, Mr William Hague, made about British government behaviour in arranging Princess Diana's funeral continued yesterday, with an ex-Tory Party chairman joining Mr Hague's critics. The former chairman, Lord Tebbit, joined Labour, Liberal Democrats and palace officials in criticising Mr Hague's attack on aides of the Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, who had briefed the press on funeral preparations.
Lord Tebbit hinted that Mr Hague was inexperienced and would learn with age that it was best not to become embroiled in controversies touching on Britain's royal family. The former party chairman had been asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme if Mr Hague had been naive or had come across as a "whinger".
Lord Tebbit said: "I certainly would say one would expect that any leaders would gain discretion with experience and perhaps, if I had been the leader of the party at this time, I would have been going on other issues."
Mr Hague complained during a television interview on Sunday that government sources had used briefings about Princess Diana's funeral to put Mr Blair's government in a good light.
The government had displayed "shabby" behaviour by seeking political capital out of Diana's death, he claimed, and he accused aides of using background briefings to the media to put "the government in a good light and the royal family in a bad light".
Downing Street said the charges were "totally untrue", Buckingham Palace insisted it was happy with the role played by Mr Blair, and the Welsh Secretary, Mr Ron Davies, dubbed Mr Hague's attack "despicable and disgraceful".
There was more bad news for Mr Hague yesterday with the defection of former Tory MP Mr Hugh Dykes.
Mr Dykes, who lost his Harrow East seat in last May's election, was seen as virtually estranged from the mainstream party even before he quit to join the Liberal Democrats.
A senior Labour source claimed his party was in talks with three or four Conservative MPs or former MPs and, when asked about likely developments, said: "Watch this space."
In a speech to Tory activists last night Mr Hague said he planned to stand by his criticisms of the government, but broaden his attack and accuse Mr Blair of making promises and breaking them in key areas.