PRIME Minister Tony Blair has been accused of snubbing organisers of the Durham Miners' Gala.

Less than a fortnight before this year's Big Meeting the North-East National Union of Mineworkers' leadership said they had not received a reply from the Prime Minister, months after sending him their annual invitation to next month's gala.

Traditionally the Labour leader of the day was a regular guest at the gala since its inception in 1871. But since 1987, when Neil Kinnock began to distance the party from the left, a polite apology has always been sent from the Labour leader.

Dave Hopper, general secretary at regional NUM headquarters at Redhill in Durham, said, unlike previous years, the union would not 'go chasing' a response.

"It's part of the constitution of the union that we invite him, but it's got to the stage where the committee will have to consider whether to bother sending the invitation in future."

A Labour Party spokesman said: "I have spoken to Mr Blair's constituency agent, John Burton, and he tells me that there's a message of goodwill in preparation. That will be dispatched in the next few days."

A strong anti-Blair stance is expected from the gala speakers' platform on Durham Racecourse, on Saturday, July 12.

Fire Brigade Union leader Andy Gilchrist will be there, and Dennis Skinner MP has promised to attend despite recent major surgery.

Tony Benn has been invited to make the address at the traditional Gala day service at Durham Cathedral. Other speakers will be Aslef general secretary Mick Rix and the GMB's Kevin Curran.