We'll be back next year, pledges BNP

| Wednesday, 29 November 2006 Source: Blackpool Today

THE BNP has vowed to return to Blackpool for its annual conference in 2007.

Members of the far-right group staged a two-day conference at the New Kimberley Hotel on South Promenade last weekend.

Anti-fascist demonstrators staged a protest outside the hotel but the conference passed off peacefully.

And BNP bosses today promised an "even larger" event in the resort next year.

The party said on its website: "Saturday saw a packed training day as delegates arrived from all parts of the United Kingdom."

It added: "The warm welcome extended to the party delegates from Blackpool's hoteliers, publicans and taxi drivers on a November weekend when many hotel owners decide to shut up shop for the winter was reciprocated with a promise that the resort will play host to an even larger BNP national conference in 2007."

But the group was today issued with another stay-away message.

Coun Eddie Collett, Blackpool Council's deputy leader and cabinet member for tourism, said: "We don't want them next year, the year after that, or ever.

"They say they will hold a bigger conference – well it can hardly be smaller.

"They said there would be around 600 delegates this time, but if there was a couple of dozen I would be surprised, which does show the complete lack of support for anything they do.

"However, even a dozen of them is too many."

Ketlan Ossowski, of United Against Fascism (UAF), which organised Saturday's demo along with the Blackpool and Fylde Trades Union Council, said: "The BNP will not be welcome back in Blackpool and the New Kimberley Hotel can certainly wave goodbye to any future conference trade from other organisations because the unions have said they will boycott it.

"We believe only about 50 or 60 people attended the conference so I don't know how they can expect to stage a bigger event.

"Their membership is not increasing.

"And as a result of our demo on Saturday, we are in the process of forming an anti-fascism group in Blackpool."

The BNP claimed 200 delegates attended the conference.

Peter Metcalf, manager of the New Kimberley Hotel, repeatedly said in the run-up to the conference his hotel was not staging the event. He said he did not want to comment on the conference.