The leader of the far-right British National Party wept as he saluted party members for helping win two seats in the European parliament.
Nick Griffin was addressing delegates in a Blackpool hotel as part of the BNP’s “summer school” and Victory 09 celebrations.
After listening to speeches by party bosses Mr Griffin was applauded to the stage.
He managed just a “Thank you,” before he broke down. He thanked individuals and the collective membership for enabling two MEPs to be elected – himself in the North West and Andrew Brons in Yorkshire and the Humber.
Speaking amid St George’s Cross bunting and sepia photographs of war veterans and impish little children, Mr Griffin applauded senior member Mark Collet, with whom he was cleared of inciting racial hatred in 2006.
“The propaganda was exceptional,” he said of the BNP literature produced ahead of the local and Euro elections.
Mr Griffin attacked the media for what he described as a smear campaign the likes of which he had never seen before. He attacked the three main parties for turning the country into a “multicultural bankrupt slum” and “organising and funding” the protesters against him.
“Like a new boy at school,” was how he described visiting Brussels for the first time. But he said he had joined forces with other right-wing parties, forming “Devils United”.
Outside The New Kimberley Hotel on the south promenade some 80 Unite Against Fascism members protested against the BNP.
Four people were arrested near the protest, which police said was peaceful. The four were arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred.
Press Association