Palace plays down UK jubilee fears

Millions of people turned out for the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977 -- but will they do the same for her Golden Jubilee?

LONDON, England -- Fears that celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee later this year could be a flop because of public apathy are rising in the UK.

Government officials, the organisers and even Buckingham Palace have defended the planned celebrations marking her 50 year reign.

The concern has been raised by a poll by Opinion Leader Research, which found only five percent of Britons believed the Golden Jubilee would have the greatest impact on the country's mood this year.

The poll came amid reports that Lord Levene of Portsoken -- the former Lord Mayor of London chosen by the government to co-ordinate the celebrations -- quit last year in protest at the state of preparations.

It has fuelled fears that there is little of the public enthusiasm which marked the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977.

In response, Buckingham Palace officials said they remained upbeat about the prospects for official Golden Jubilee celebrations.

"We are certainly not getting negative feedback from local councils and Lord Lieutenants," a palace spokeswoman told the UK Press Association.

"So far, the Golden Jubilee programme has been low profile -- there will be a lot going on later in the year."

Richard Caborn, the government minister at the Department of Culture, Media,and Sport responsible for the celebrations, also rejected reports the event was set to be a flop.

"We are now well on course for an extremely good Jubilee," he told the BBC.

The man in charge of organising public celebrations for the jubilee weekend, in June, insisted there was an "immense" degree of interest for the event.

Lord Sterling said reports that there was a lack enthusiasm were from "a different planet."

"That's not my impression whatsoever," he told the BBC. "The way things are going at the moment is particularly pleasurable. I think we have an excellent team."

"We're only (in) January. These are events which are going to be happening in June."

For the Silver Jubilee "things didn't really get going until Easter time" he said.

The Queen will tour England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

"The feedback we're getting at the moment, all around the countryside, the degree of interest is immense."

But opposition culture secretary Tim Yeo told Channel 4: "I'm afraid the Government is bringing all the same skills to the Jubilee that they used on the Millennium Dome.

"There's been no leadership from anyone in the Cabinet. What we do have is red tape at every level, particularly at the local level strangling the initiative and enterprise of local communities."

According to a newspaper survey, costly red tape is strangling the jubilee plans.

During the Silver Jubilee in 1977 millions of people turned out on the streets to celebrate at events throughout the country ranging from pageants to street parties.

This time, few local communities have so far decided to battle with bureaucracy and fork out to stage a street party or other event, The Times newspaper said on Thursday.

"We have always made it clear that it is up to local communities whether -- and if so how -- they celebrate or mark the Golden Jubilee," said the Palace spokeswoman.

The government is urging local councils to waive some of the official charges for holding street parties celebrating the Queen's Golden Jubilee.

The Queen will embark on a nationwide tour, visiting all regions of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The climax of celebrations will be a four-day long weekend, from June 1 to June 4, when there will be pop and classical music concerts in the Queen's garden at Buckingham Palace, along with other staged events, including beacons, fireworks, bell-ringing and a carnival pageant in London.