Row over bid to extend centenary events to cover Ireland and India

"Government board chair blocks effort to mark events in which Britain committed atrocities

Members of the government’s advisory board on the first world war centenary are at loggerheads over extending the commemorations to mark politically challenging events such as the Irish war of independence and Britain’s slaughter of peaceful protesters in India.

The group, set up under David Cameron, advised on four years of commemorations ranging from traditional events at the Cenotaph to beachside tributes conceived by the director Danny Boyle.

Some members have been pressing to extend the official commemorations to address thorny issues such as the 1919-21 war in Ireland and the role of British forces including the violent police auxiliary force known as the Black and Tans, as well as the 100th anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar in 1919....."