Laura Bush asks to be removed from same-sex marriage advert

Former first lady Laura Bush has asked an organisation to remove a video clip of her from an advert promoting same-sex marriage – with the group having failed to ask for her permission.

Yesterday, the Respect for Marriage Coalition included Mrs Bush’s support of equal marriage in its advert, along with clips from President Obama, Colin Powell, and Republican former vice president Dick Cheney.

Laura Bush “did not approve of her inclusion in this advertisement nor is she associated with the group that made the ad in any way,” said the former first lady’s spokeswoman Anne MacDonald.

“When she became aware of the advertisement last night, we requested that the group remove her from it,” she added.

Mrs Bush, who has famously disagreed with husband and former US president George W Bush on the issue of marriage equality, announced her support for it in 2010 in an interview on CNN.

In 2004, Mr Bush endorsed a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

• TV
• May 11

All 13 seasons of Doctor Who ranked from worst to best