Peppa Pig withdrawn from Labour party election event.
The company which licenses children's TV character Peppa Pig has withdrawn her from a Labour party election event.
The pre-school character was due to visit a children's centre later as part of Labour's launch of their manifesto for families.
But E1 Entertainment said it had agreed the character should not attend the event to avoid any controversy.
The British cartoon series, which follows the pig, her family and friends, is shown in 180 countries.
Its five-year-old central character helps to promote the government-funded Sure Start children's centres.
In a news release, Labour had said it was delighted that Peppa Pig had accepted the party's invitation to join Work and Pensions Secretary Yvette Cooper and Cabinet Office minister Tessa Jowell on a visit to a children's centre to highlight Labour's policies to support families.
But TV channel Five, which broadcasts the series, and the programme makers, told the BBC they knew nothing about it.
The show's distributor, E1 Entertainment, said Peppa Pig had been invited but would not now be appearing.
It said: "Peppa Pig is a well known fan of Sure Start children's centres but, in the interests of avoiding any controversy or misunderstanding, we have agreed she should not attend."
'Very unfortunate'
Aimed at children aged two and above, Peppa Pig won a children's Bafta in 2005 for best pre-school animation.
Asked about the change of plans, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said he had "heard a very bad rumour that it was, in fact, the intervention of the BBC, with Channel Five, that prevented the appearance of Peppa Pig".
