UK Prime Minister Cameron tells local councils not to block royal wedding street parties

The Associated Press
April 19, 2011 at 8:46PM

LONDON - Britons: your country needs you to party.

Prime Minister David Cameron on Monday urged local authorities not to use bureaucratic rules to prevent street parties celebrating the April 29 royal wedding.

Cameron said civic councils should not block plans for parties by imposing rules requiring licenses, insurance protection and other bits of red tape.

"I'm very much saying today if people want to have a street party, don't listen to people who say it's all bureaucracy and health and safety, and you can't do it," Cameron said.

"It's very important to understand if anyone wants to have a street party you don't need a food license, you don't need an entertainment license, you don't need to have written documents about closing your street. ... If you do want to celebrate with Catherine and with William, you should go ahead and do so."

The prime minister was responding to persistent reports that councils are putting up roadblocks to parties planned to mark the union of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

In addition, the anti-monarchist group Republic says its plans for a "not the royal wedding" party are being blocked by London's Camden Council.

Republic said the council approved the party last month, but has since said it will not close the street to traffic for the day.

about the writer

about the writer

More from No Section

See More
FILE -- A rent deposit slot at an apartment complex in Tucker, Ga., on July 21, 2020. As an eviction crisis has seemed increasingly likely this summer, everyone in the housing market has made the same plea to Washington: Send money — lots of it — that would keep renters in their homes and landlords afloat. (Melissa Golden/The New York Times) ORG XMIT: XNYT58
Melissa Golden/The New York Times

It’s too soon to tell how much the immigration crackdown is to blame.