FORMER US President Bill Clinton was expected to receive a rapturous reception at the Labour conference in Blackpool today.

Mr Clinton arrived in Blackpool last night along with Oscar winning actor Kevin Spacey and attended a reception hosted by Tony Blair.

He and the Prime Minister enjoyed a particularly warm relationship during his time in office.

And his afternoon address follows Mr Blair's passionate defence of the trans-Atlantic alliance in his own speech yesterday.

"It's easy to be anti-American. There's a lot of it about," the Labour leader told delegates.

"But remember when and where this alliance was forged, here in Europe, in World War II when Britain and America and every decent citizen in Europe joined forces to liberate Europe from Nazi evil.

"My vision of Britain is not as the 51st state of anywhere, but I believe in this alliance and I will fight long and hard to maintain it."

Mr Clinton's speech follows Home Secretary David Blunkett's keynote conference address.