Army chiefs go to war with the BNP

The sacrifices made by and the proud heritage of the British armed forces are being 'hijacked' by extremist groups such as the British National party, a group of retired generals has warned.

Generals Sir Mike Jackson and Sir Richard Dannatt, former heads of the army, are among the signatories to a letter claiming far-right groups are exploiting the reputation of the armed forces.

'We call on all those who seek to hijack the good name of Britain's military for their own advantage to cease and desist,' the letter, obtained by the Times, says.

'The values of these extremists — many of whom are essentially racist — are fundamentally at odds with the values of the modern British military, such as tolerance and fairness.'

The letter, which does not explicitly identify the BNP and is also signed by Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank, former chief of the defence staff, and Major-General Patrick Cordingley, commander of the Desert Rats in the Gulf War, points out that ten per cent of servicemen and women are from the Commonwealth.

Political extremists had 'no right to share in this proud heritage', the generals write.

In additional comment to the Times, General Jackson said the BNP was claiming a better relationship with the armed forces than any other political party.

'How dare they use the image of the army, in particular, to promote their policies,' he said. 'These people are beyond the pale.'

The BNP repeatedly uses images of Winston Churchill and Spitfires for campaign material, with the Royal British Legion accusing chairman Nick Griffin of trying to politicise the poppy appeal.

The generals' furore comes two days before Mr Griffin appears on the panel of BBC1's Question Time. Justice secretary Jack Straw, Conservative peer Baroness Warsi, Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne and black playwright Bonnie Greer will also feature on the panel.