Britain calls for ban on Zimbabwe

Britain has called on the International Cricket Council to ban Zimbabwe from playing international matches because of its human rights record, a government spokesman said on Monday.

Britain has strongly criticised Zimbabwe's urban demolition campaign which a U.N. report said has destroyed the livelihoods of some 700,000 people.

The Zimbabwe government says the operation was aimed at rooting out urban crime and was a prelude to a programme to build better housing for poor people.

"We would now like to ask if the ICC could reflect on the current situation and take a view on whether or not they see international cricket fixtures against and/or

Last year some human rights groups criticised the British government for not stopping England's cricket tour of Zimbabwe.

Ministers said they had not wanted the tour to go ahead but could not instruct England not to go.