last updated: Thursday 21 May 2009, 13:34pm

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BNP boss 'to attend Queen's party'

The British National Party's leader is set to attend a garden party hosted by the Queen, according to a colleague.

Richard Barnbrook, a BNP member of the London Assembly, said Nick Griffin will accompany him as his guest at the event at Buckingham Palace on July 21.

All members of the Assembly are traditionally invited to the event.

Mr Barnbrook said: 'I imagine there will be a to-do and a hoot. These things are going to happen more and more as the party goes forward.'

A BNP spokesman added: 'Richard Barnbrook has got an official invite in his capacity as a member of the London Assembly and he is allowed to bring a guest, which will be Nick Griffin. For him to snub an invite from the Queen would be absurd.

'It is something people are going to have to get used to because if we get elected MEPs, this is the kind of thing we are going to be doing on a regular basis. It is the emergence of a party from beyond the pale to mainstream.'

The Mayor of London later accused the BNP of trying to turn a Buckingham Palace garden party into a 'political stunt'.

Mr Johnson wrote to Darren Johnson, Chair of the London Assembly, calling for him to intervene and withdraw Mr Barnbrook's invitation.

He said: 'I have learnt today that the London Assembly has passed an invitation to Her Majesty's Garden Party to Richard Barnbrook of the BNP, following previous custom for all Assembly Members to be invited.

'It now transpires, however, that Mr Barnbrook plans to bring as his guest the Leader of the BNP, Mr Nick Griffin, or another prominent member of the party, thereby threatening to turn a happy annual event - at which thousands of people across the country are acknowledged for their service to the community - into a political stunt.

'We cannot tolerate any such abuse of the invitation or any potential embarrassment to Her Majesty. I am therefore writing to call on you to inform Mr Barnbrook - at the earliest opportunity - that he must either bring a guest who will not provoke political controversy, or consider his invitation rescinded.'

The event will come after the June local and Euro elections, which could see the BNP gaining more local council seats and their first MEPs.

Political experts have warned that disillusionment with mainstream politicians over the MPs' expenses scandal and fears over jobs and immigration could lead to a surge in support for the party.

The BNP campaigns for the 'voluntary resettlement' of immigrants back to their countries of origin, claims white Britons have become 'second class citizens' and wants to bring back corporal and capital punishment for criminals.

A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said he could not confirm individual invitations.

He said: 'A number of organisations and bodies receive an allocation of tickets for the garden parties so it is a matter for those organisations who they invite.'

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