UKIP appeals to Queen over exclusion from Cenotaph service

Only parties with more than six MPs are represented at the Cenotaph service

The UK Independence Party has written to The Queen to complain about being excluded from the Remembrance Sunday events at the Cenotaph in Westminster.

Mike Hookem, a UKIP MEP and ex-soldier, has urged the monarch to "intervene" on behalf of the 3.8 million people who voted for the party in May's election.

He said the UK's third largest party must be represented at national events.

Ministers said a 30-year old agreement stipulated that only leaders of parties with more than six MPs could take part.

UKIP won almost 12% of the national vote in May but only had one MP elected to Westminster.

Ahead of this Sunday's remembrance service, the party has written to Buckingham Palace appealing for UKIP's non-participation to be reviewed.

In his letter, Mr Hookem wrote: "I write to you as our Queen, asking for you to intervene on the part of over 3.8 million of your people to allow UKIP to have representation at the Cenotaph on 8 November as is right for the third most popular political party in the country."

Mr Hookem, who represents Yorkshire and the Humber in the European Parliament, has also demanded an explanation from Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, whose department is responsible for co-ordinating the invitations to the ceremony, as to why party leader Nigel Farage has not been asked to lay a wreath at the Cenotaph.

"It seems convenient the government can so easily dismiss the largest group of UK MEPs when it comes to including us in national events," he said.

1984 formula

In reply, Mr Whittingdale wrote: "The laying of wreaths by Parliamentary leaders is governed by a formula put in place in 1984 with the agreement of The Queen and the Speaker of the House of Commons following discussion with party leaders based on the number of Westminster parliamentary seats.

Invitations to the Cenotaph are a matter for the government not Buckingham Palace

"This stipulates that only the leaders at Westminster of parties which had won and taken up six or more seats at the preceding general election should lay wreaths."

Under the formula, Plaid Cymru - which has three MPs - and the Green Party, which has a sole MP, are also excluded.

Mr Hookem, who served in both the RAF and the Army before being elected as an MEP, told the BBC he was unsatisfied with the explanation.

"This is wholly unfair and undemocratic," he said. "To say you need six MPs is ridiculous. We have every right to be there and stand shoulder to shoulder with the other party leaders."

When asked to provide documentary evidence of the 1984 agreement, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport was unable to do so.

A spokeswoman for Buckingham Palace said who was invited to the event was "a matter for the government".

Last month it emerged that this year's service would be shortened slightly to limit the time the Queen and veterans have to stand. However, plans for opposition party leaders to lay wreaths together, which had been mooted, were dropped.