Griffin barred from Queen's garden party

Thursday, 22 July 2010 1:34 PM

By politics.co.uk staff

The leader of the far-right British National party (BNP) has been barred from attending a Buckingham Palace garden party, after he tried to use the invitation for political purposes.

Nick Griffin automatically receives a ticket due to being an MEP, but his comments in the lead-up to the event were judged to have politicsed the occasion.

"This event shows just how far this party has come in the last few years but I won't be at the Palace for myself or my family. No! I will be there to represent the patriots who made this possible; I'll be there for you," he wrote to supporters.

"I'll be there for all the stout-hearted men and women who down through the turbulent years tramped the streets with me in all weathers knocking doors, and those who ran the gauntlets of hate wherever we went."

The comments resulted in the far-right leader being banned from the event "due to the fact he has overtly used his personal invitation for party political purpose[s] through the media".

A Buckingham Palace statement read: "This in turn has increased the security threat and the potential discomfort to the many other guests also attending."

Anti-fascist activists had reacted angrily to the invite and urged Buckingham Palace to "take a long hard look" at its original decision.

"Events like this help to make Nick Griffin and the BNP seem legitimate in the eyes of racist voters," said campaign group Unite Against Fascism.

Tags:
• domestic policy
,
• equality
,
• race relations