Preparations for the Republican national convention were in chaos on Sunday as several party leaders said they planned to stay away because of hurricane Gustav, casting a pall over John McCain’s plans to use the event as a springboard into the final two months of the presidential election.

President George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, the vice-president, both cancelled appearances on the first day of the convention in Minneapolis on Monday, and Mr Bush said he would instead travel to Texas to monitor the disaster response operation.