BNP point finger at Labour MP as manifesto launch is cancelled in Falkirk

No show: Nick Griffin was due to speak at the Macdonald Inchyra Hotel

A hotel cancels the British National Party's press conference to launch its election manifesto after receiving complaints

The British National Party has accused Labour MP Eric Joyce of scare tactics after its election manifesto launch was called off. The party had been due to hold a press conference at the Macdonald Inchyra Hotel near Falkirk on Saturday, including a speech from Nick Griffin, but the hotel cancelled the booking at the last minute.

The BNP said Mr Joyce, the MP for Falkirk, had "caused the hotel to fear for their safety". But the hotel insisted it had acted because management had not been made aware of the "true nature" of the event. Ninety tickets had been sold for the venue, which has a capacity of 100.

After urging people to convey their concern to the hotel's management via Twitter, Mr Joyce posted an entry on his blog in respose to the cancellation stating: "Tweeters Just Kicked The British National Party's A***."

A BNP spokesman said: "Eric Joyce and his actions have caused the hotel to fear for their safety and cancel today`s event, all because of him instructing people to phone up and give staff at the hotel grief. We had a contract with the hotel drawn up and had paid the deposit, and everything was fine until they phoned at 5.15pm last night to cancel."

He said that they hope to rearrange the event and hold the conference before the election on May 5.

STV