BNP leader Nick Griffin has been denied entry to a Buckingham Palace garden party over claims he "overtly" used his invitation for political purposes.

 

A spokesman said his behaviour had "increased the security threat and the potential discomfort" to other guests.

 

But Mr Griffin, who had been invited to the event along with all the UK's Euro MPs, told BBC News the ban was an "absolute scandal".

 

The anti-immigration party's other MEP, Andrew Brons, is attending the party.

 

Before the ban was imposed Mr Griffin, an MEP for North West England, described the Buckingham Palace invitation on the BNP website as a "highly symbolic breakthrough" for the party and e-mailed supporters asking for questions they would like him to ask the Queen.

 

Mr Griffin also appeared on GMTV to talk about his invitation to the garden party.

'No disrespect'

 

But, in a statement, Buckingham Palace said: "Nick Griffin MEP will be denied entry to today's garden party at Buckingham Palace due to the fact he has overtly used his personal invitation for party political purpose through the media. This in turn has increased the security threat and the potential discomfort to the many other guests also attending.

 

"Mr Griffin's personal invitation was issued to him as an elected member of the European Parliament.

 

"The decision to deny entry is not intended to show any disrespect to the democratic process by which the invitation was issued. However, we would apply the same rules to anyone who tried to blatantly politicise their attendance in this way."

 

Mr Griffin told the BBC he would not try to attend the event.

 

But he said he believed he had been banned for giving TV interviews about the visit, saying: "It is an absolute scandal. I represent a million voters in the North West. This appears to be a rule invented for me."

 

In a statement, Mr Griffin said: "Nowhere in the book of rules given to all attendees does it say anything about not giving media interviews and, of course, countless people have done precisely that in the past.

 

"This decision is an attack on the media and their right to report on important events of the day.

 

"It is an attack on the right of every person in Britain to get the news of current events reported by the media, and it is an attack on the one million plus patriots who voted for the BNP.

 

"The move has obviously been made under pressure from the Con-Dem regime who are desperate for any reason to bar the BNP."

 

 

 

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

I reckon they used that as an excuse though after coming under pressure from the media and maybe others higher up too. Who knows.

I think he should've been allowed. Him and Prince Phillip would've gotten on famously!

Griffin was being particularly vociferous about things though, he was seriously crowing about it, far more than Brons or any other of the attendees... The facts are Griffin is absolutely shameless and would probably have made a lot of people feel very uncomfortable just with his general attitude... Nah, he deserved to have his invitation revoked...

 

Never thought I'd find myself on the side of the Monarchy, but they were right to ditch Griffin....

Stupid decision, gave him extra publicity and probably increased the membership of the BNP as he is good at playing the victim.

 

Far better denying him the oxygen of publicity