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Jeremy Corbyn Accused Of Snubbing The Queen

Jeremy Corbyn is being accused of a new snub to the Queen by declining an invitation to attend a meeting of the Privy Council today and be sworn in as a member.

The Labour leader claims he has "prior engagements", but senior Conservative MPs are claiming he is being disrespectful to the Queen and dragging her into politics.

Mr Corbyn was invited by David Cameron to join the Privy Council when he phoned him to congratulate him on becoming leader of the opposition last month.

But since then he has ducked questions about when he would take up the offer.

It is thought Mr Corbyn, a lifelong republican, is reluctant to attend the ceremony because it involves kneeling before the Queen, swearing an oath and kissing her hand.

Being a member of the Privy Council means an MP is called Right Honourable in the Commons instead of just Honourable.

It also gives access to secret intelligence briefings on occasions.

A spokesman for the Labour leader said he was invited to attend today's meeting but had sent his apologies, citing "prior engagements".

A source close to Mr Corbyn told The Daily Telegraph: "It's not a snub."

But senior Tory MP and historian Keith Simpson, a Privy Council member since last year, said: "It is a snub for the Queen in the sense that she is a constitutional monarch and she represents the constitutional way in which we do business.

"Either he has got a more important engagement - I can't think what - or I suspect he is trying to delay the moment."

And former minister Sir Alan Duncan, also a council member, said: "The Queen has always put herself above politics, but Jeremy Corbyn seems to want to put his politics above the Queen.

"This is not so much about snubs, insults or ceremonies: it's more about whether Jeremy Corbyn wants to be a serious political figure or just a perpetual rebel."

The row comes just hours after Mr Cameron described Mr Corbyn in his Tory conference speech as "security threatening, terrorist sympathising and Britain hating" .

It also follows criticism of Mr Corbyn from Labour MPs as well as Tories for failing to sing the National Anthem at a Battle of Britain 75th anniversary service at St Paul's Cathedral last month.

Mr Corbyn's predecessors Ed Miliband and Gordon Brown were already members of the Privy Council when they became Opposition leader, having previously been Cabinet ministers.

Tony Blair was sworn in six days after becoming Labour leader in 1994 and Neil Kinnock two weeks after becoming leader in 1983.

And Labour's most left wing leader of recent years before Mr Corbyn, Michael Foot, was already a member, having been a Cabinet minister.

Mr Cameron was appointed to the council after becoming Tory leader in December 2005 but was only sworn in the following March.

The delay was partly due to there being no meeting in January 2006 and the birth of Mr Cameron's son Arthur in February that year.