A former press secretary to Margaret Thatcher has accused the McCartney sisters of hypocrisy over their decision to boycott an awards ceremony rather than share a stage with the former British prime minister.
Sir Bernard Ingham
Sir Bernard Ingham claimed the family were guilty of double standards after two of the five sisters refused to attend a Women of the Year event after learning Mrs Thatcher would also be honoured with an award.
Sir Bernard condemned the move and questioned the motives behind it.
Sir Bernard Ingham
He said: "I wonder if they have done it on their own initiative or if they were advised to do it.
"Mrs Thatcher has a wonderful capacity to smoke people out. I think it is very interesting that the McCartney sisters protested at IRA thugs killing their brother.
"Where were the protests when IRA thugs were killing thousands of people and were trying to blow up Mrs Thatcher? I think it is monumental hypocrisy," Sir Bernard said.
He added: "It is a useful opportunity to draw attention to their campaign but it does not strike me as having anything to do with justice."
Catherine and Claire McCartney issued a statement yesterday to explain their decision, which came just hours before the ceremony.
It said: "Our campaign is one of justice and as an Irish republican family we feel we cannot share the same platform with a former prime minister who inflicted injustices on our community."