AN INVESTIGATION into the Love Parade pop festival cancellation has been branded a whitewash.

A report produced by a specially-convened inquiry team into the cancellation of the Newcastle music carnival has been criticised for failing to apportion blame.

The festival, which was expected to attract 250,000 revellers, was cancelled at the eleventh hour by BBC Radio One bosses in the summer.

The leaked confidential draft report says Newcastle City Council's 12-member Labour cabinet must take collective responsibility. But no individuals have been taken to task and officers are cleared of any blame

Liberal Democrat member of the inquiry team, Councillor Mike Cookson, described the report as a whitewash.

He said: "Not only does it avoid naming those responsible, but it does not clarify what went wrong, or answer any of the questions which have been asked such as why the council was unable to put into place a park-and-ride scheme after six months."

A council spokesman said the issues mentioned in the report were operational and that no individuals were to blame.

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