Sunday 24 May 2009

Leo Boland and the BNP


The BNP must be laughing their socks off. Money could not buy the amount of publicity they have received following the news that GLA Member Richard Barnbrook invited BNP leader Nick Griffin to a garden party at Buckingham Palace.

But instead of the media just attacking Barnbrook for inviting his odious boss, why has there been no criticism of the GLA’s Chief Executive Leo Boland, who was ultimately responsible for dealing with the invitations?

Boland (pictured right) was recruited from Barnet Council last year at an absurd, and frankly obscene, salary of £205,000 a year. Perhaps Boris could explain what he actually does for the money?

Anyone with even half a brain cell would have known that someone like Barnbrook would seek to exploit the invitation, and Leo Boland must accept complete responsibility for this shambles which could have been avoided.

Hopefully, as a result of this debacle, Buckingham Palace will review its invitation policy. In the current climate, the public will be sickened at the fact that any politician is granted the honour of tea with Her Majesty.

A spokesman for the Palace told the BBC that the London Assembly is one of more than 1,000 organisations given allocations of places for individuals at the garden parties. In future, perhaps political organisations should be crossed off the list entirely and instead all the tickets given to ordinary members of the public.

In the mean time, Boris should sack Leo Boland, not just for putting the Queen in an embarrassing position, but for bringing even more dishonour on one of our political institutions.

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