BNP leader backs out of palace party 'to save the Queen's face'

Published on Wednesday 27 May 2009 19:04

BRITISH National Party leader Nick Griffin has bowed out of attending a Buckingham Palace garden party, saying he had "no wish to embarrass the Queen".

The right-wing politician had been invited to the event by BNP colleague Richard Barnbrook who, as a London Assembly member, was nominated for two tickets by the Greater London Authority (GLA).

Mr Griffin said yesterday he would not now be attending the party, after the mayor of London and senior members of the GLA accus ed the BNP of exploiting the situation for publicity.

Mr Griffin said: "We believe it is still outrageous that a democratically elected member of the London Assembly can't invite who he likes as a guest to the party at the Palace.

"Nevertheless, because we have no wish to embarrass the Queen and allow the liberal Left to do more damage to our institutions, I've withdrawn from the idea of going myself."

He said Mr Barnbrook would still be going and would be taking the mother of a soldier killed in Afghanistan.

Mr Barnbrook refused to reveal the name of the soldier's mother, but added that he had been working closely with her in east London.

Speaking outside parliament, Mr Griffin said: "While we expected some coverage, we never expected it to be quite as hysterical from the opposition as it was."

He said he did not want to give the "intellectual lite" the opportunity "to use us and the British National Party to further their ends, particularly by potentially embarrassing the Queen and the institution of the monarchy".