LAST Sunday, I had the honour of laying the Lions Club of Devizes’ wreath at our town’s war memorial. It was an honour, albeit a rather sombre one.

It’s an act imbued with huge significance and poignancy. The act of remembrance binds us (well, most of us) together as a nation. Wreath layers almost always act on behalf of their comrades as an expression of gratitude to those who made the supreme sacrifice – they gave their todays, for our tomorrow.

Many wreaths were laid by the armed forces, emergency services, youth and community groups and the town itself. It’s an inclusive act of public remembrance and honour.

When I laid a wreath as Mayor, it one of the most pressured acts of the year. Sure, it’s simple, but you don’t want to make a mistake that could appear disrespectful. Stumble over your words at any other event and you can make light of it and move on – not on Remembrance Day.

One powerful aspect of the day is, despite its huge significance, its simplicity. This is exemplified by its symbol of the commemoration – the (red) poppy. So it’s such a shame that the poppy has become so politicised. First – and lowest – is the attempt by some odious far-right groups to seize the poppy as a symbol of their warped form of patriotism and overarching Islamophobia. They conveniently ignore the fact that in the First World War, nearly 1.5 million Indians volunteered to fight for the British Army. This force included 400,000 Muslims. If you’re a Facebook user then you will have seen their posts. They urge us to wear our poppies with pride, ignoring any offence it might cause. A noble sentiment, if anyone was actually offended by a simple act of remembrance. It’s just an excuse to stir up hatred and divisions – completely opposite to the ethos of remembrance and the poppy.

Mainstream political parties are guilty too. One World War Two RAF veteran, Harry Smith, has not worn a poppy because, he says the spirit of his generation has been "hijacked” by politicians to “sell dubious wars” in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Second World War was largely about freedom. One small freedom is the freedom to choose whether or not to wear a poppy. I choose to wear one because I believe in what it stands for and I want to support the work of the Royal British Legion. But it’s not compulsory. The term ‘poppy fascism’ is used to describe the hounding of those who don’t wear one. How ironic, considering what so many died fighting for. Barbara Windsor left people in no doubt as to her thoughts on the matter when she said anyone who didn’t wear the poppy should “sod off”.

There was a huge furore a week ago when Sadie Frost didn’t wear a poppy on the Graham Norton show. This is someone who makes a living by playing “let’s pretend” on an inconsequential show hosted by someone whose country was neutral in the last war. Everyone on Strictly Come Dancing wears one. Premier League shirts at this time of the year feature it. When it’s like this, we have to ask is it displayed out of genuine respect or for fear of the opprobrium that would follow were they not to wear one?

I shall leave the final point to a Royal British Legion official who said that the poppy “honours all those who have sacrificed their lives to protect the freedoms we enjoy today, and so the decision to wear it must be a matter of personal choice. If the poppy became compulsory it would lose its meaning and significance. We are thankful for every poppy worn, but we never insist on it. To do so would be contrary to the spirit of Remembrance and all that the poppy stands for.” Amen.