WE are devastated to report that the Evening Press has really got up the British National Party's nose.

After my colleague Stephen Lewis's thoughtful piece last week on how York should counter the racists, he received a telephone call.

At the other end of the line was an agitated Dr Phill Edwards, the press officer for the BNP.

He launched into a tirade, complaining that the anti-BNP crusaders York Unity were unrepresentative (while the BNP, of course, is a model of democracy. If you discount the vote-rigging).

Dr Edwards then accused Stephen of knowing nothing about the BNP.

His sails were knocked windless when our man explained that 1) a BNP leaflet been pushed through his letterbox explaining their odious policies only days earlier, and 2) he had known the party's leader, Nick Griffin (he of the criminal conviction for distributing material likely to incite race violence) since school days, through a mutual acquaintance.

Dr Edwards then tried a different tack, switching on his bedside manner. I come into York often, he said. I'll look you up.

"Is that a threat?" Steve inquired.

The doctor insisted he only wanted to invite Steve out for a pint.

This offer was declined in less than a nanosecond.

"Well, you probably only drink in wine bars," came the reply from a suddenly irritable Dr Edwards.

Clearly the art of incisive political debate is not dead.

GOOD news on the campaign to save the Flying Scotsman for, er, England. Pete Waterman is dead against bringing it to the National Railway Museum.

He told the Daily Mail that the famous loco is cursed.

Mr Waterman, a train buff, once co-owned the Scotsman but to his astonishment discovered that an ancient, rusting steam engine actually costs quite a lot to maintain. So he got rid.

He told the paper that it is "wrong to squander Lottery money on a loss-making project", ie bringing the loco to York's NRM.

Come to think of it, Pete, why squander any public money on museums? Why not sell the NRM off and turn it into a themed bar playing all those delightful Rick Astley hits you brought us?

Somehow, we think the NRM campaign can live without the support of man whose judgement was so cruelly exposed every week on Pop Idol.

OOPS. Last week Coun Keith Orrell said the Barbican redevelopment would give York its "much needed first four-star hotel".

Step forward a furious Marco Frik, general manager of the Royal York Hotel. "I am spending £5.2 million on turning the Royal York into a four-star deluxe hotel," he said.

A York tourism bureau spokeswoman confirmed that there are three four-star hotels in York - the Royal York, the Hilton and the Marriott. What we lack is a five-star facility.

Wayne Topley, general manager of the York Marriott Hotel, said: "It is somewhat embarrassing that an industry as large as the hotels in York does not get proper recognition by such a senior member of the council."

Coun Orrell said no slight had been intended to the Royal York.

"I am delighted it is investing so much money in something that will be so good for tourism, as is the development of the hotel at the Barbican." Good effort, councillor.

SELBY MP John Grogan, who successfully led the campaign to save the town's magistrates court, told the Commons last week: "Local reporters and newspapers want justice delivered locally so that they can report it, which is sometimes a neglected aspect of the importance of local justice."

To which the Diary can only say, hear, hear!

Updated: 09:30 Monday, March 29, 2004