THE president of Bingley's Women's Institute has caused controversy by likening the singing of Rule Britannia at the WI's annual meeting to the mood of a Ukip rally. Dr Jag Picknett made her comments on an unofficial WI Facebook site after attending the Brighton event which ended with a Last Night of the Proms style sing-along.

Some 4,500 women, many in red white and blue and waving Union Jacks, sang Happy Birthday to the Queen and the National Anthem, to which Dr Picknett raised no objections.

"Jerusalem, Fine, sing happy birthday to the Queen, fine, national anthem, fine. "Wave flags and sing along to Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory with a member on stage dressed as Britannia leading it.....not okay," she wrote on the private site.

Dr Picknett said that she was a "confident, educated, second-generation immigrant to this country and the finale was like being at a Ukip rally. "I sat down all the way through it - I should have walked out. "I haven't felt this uncomfortable since the 1980s. "If you want diversity and inclusivity the National Federation of Women's Institutes needs to take a long, hard look at itself."

Her views prompted a flurry of critical comments from other WI members claiming the event was not jingoistic, but also messages backing Dr Picknett. Sara Mogford, president of Baildon Belles WI said: "I posted a comment in support of Jag within half an hour of the thread starting on Saturday.

"I completely agree with her and I wouldn't have sung along or stood up either.

"And I'm pretty certain most of our members would have done the same thing - we are modern and forward-thinking. "This sort of thing puts a lot of people off joining and it's certainly not what we're about. "Jag's comments were very reasonable, but although the Facebook thread had been removed, she has had lots of horrible, horrible messages on other sites. "There has been a lot of racist trolling going on." Dr Picknett is working today and has not yet been available for comment. A Women's Institute spokesman said: "NFWI is deeply saddened to hear that some members did not enjoy some of the entertainment at this year's Annual Meeting and were upset by the songs chosen. "The event was planned to celebrate HM The Queen's birthday, and was modelled on the BBC's Last Night of the Proms. "The WI was founded on the desire to provide an inclusive, welcoming, and open educational membership organisation for all women regardless of background, political beliefs, or religion, and it has sought to uphold these values and aims since the very first meeting in 1915."