Latvia sees "historical illiteracy" in British row

RIGA (Reuters) - Latvia's foreign minister criticised "historical illiteracy" in Britain on Thursday after the Labour Party accused the Conservatives of links to extremists, including a Latvian party.

Labour has accused the Conservatives, leading in opinion polls ahead of an election due in 2010, of having links to extremists in the European Parliament, including the Latvian nationalist party For Fatherland and Freedom.

"It's a pity that we see the historical illiteracy of several British politicians and journalists using things in public statements that have no base in historical facts," Latvian Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins told public radio.

The Conservatives have broken away from the main centre-right grouping in the European Parliament, forming a new anti-federalist group that includes a Latvian deputy.

Labour has accused the Conservatives of isolating themselves in Europe and has attacked some of their allies. The Conservatives deny any of their allies hold extreme views.

Foreign Secretary David Milliband, in a party conference speech at the start of October, criticised the Conservatives for having links with Fatherland and Freedom, which he said celebrated the Latvian Waffen SS.

The Guardian newspaper also criticised the Conservatives.

"There has never been such a thing as a Latvian SS," said Riekstins, adding that no Latvian government party had ever glorified Nazism. Labour has also criticised Conservative links with a Polish member of the European Parliament.

For Fatherland and Freedom has been a part of coalition governments in Latvia since the late 1990s. In domestic politics it is seen as one of the most nationalist parties in its support for ethnic Latvians over the large Russian minority.