BNP leader to attend Buckingham Palace garden party

By Matt Williams , Press Association

Tuesday 15 June 2010

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British National Party (BNP) leader Nick Griffin has secured an invitation to a Buckingham Palace garden party, it was disclosed today.

The far-right politician intends to take three members of his family to the event on July 22 in his capacity as an MEP for the North West.



Last year Mr Griffin withdrew from attending a similar event out of fear of embarrassing the Queen.



The BNP leader announced his latest invitation during a dinner with party supporters over the weekend.



A Buckingham Palace spokesman confirmed that as an MEP Mr Griffin was eligible to nominate himself to attend a garden party, as part of the allocation of tickets to the European Parliament.



Earlier this month Mr Griffin indicated his intention to step down as leader of the BNP by the end of 2013, following a humiliating defeat when he stood for the Barking seat in last month's general election.



In 2009 he was invited to attend a Buckingham Palace garden party by his BNP colleague Richard Barnbrook who, as a London Assembly member, was nominated for two tickets by the Greater London Authority (GLA).



He bowed out of the event following a wave of public protest.



He said at the time that the pressure on him to pull out was "outrageous", but added he had "no wish to embarrass the Queen".



Mr Barnbrook did attend the event.

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