Celebrities boycott luxury hotel chain

Comedians Jay Leno and Ellen DeGeneres are the latest celebrities to boycott Brunei-owned hotel chain Dorchester Collection over a stoning of homosexuals law.

According to the BBC, a small protest took place in front of A-list haunt the Beverly Hills Hotel on Monday, where Mr Leno said: "I'd like to think that all people are basically good and when they realise this is going on, hopefully they'll do something about it."

But chief executive of the Dorchester Collection chain, Christopher Cowdray, said: "There are other hotel companies in this city that are owned by Saudi Arabia... you know, your shirt probably comes from a country which has human rights issues."

He added that a boycott would hurt local staff the most.

On Saturday, Virgin boss Richard Branson announced the hotel chain.

Sir Richard tweeted: "No @Virgin employee, nor our family, will stay at Dorchester Hotels until the Sultan abides by basic human rights".

The news came after actor and comedian Stephen Fry boycotted Dorchester Collection last week.

Fry tweeted: "Cancelled in nick of time: discovered @CoworthParkUK that I was booked into is part of the 'Dorchester Collection'".

The new law in Brunei stoning homosexuals to death was postponed last Tuesday "due to unavoidable circumstances", but despite the delays the Sultan of Brunei confirmed it would be phased in over a two-year period from 1 May and would apply to Muslims and non-Muslims in the country.

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