Former US President Bill Clinton has backed one of Brighton and Hove's rivals in the race to become European Capital of Culture in 2008.

Mr Clinton, who jetted in to the Labour conference in Blackpool last night, said he had been "bowled over" by Birmingham.

But Hove MP Ivor Caplin brushed off the former US President's remarks, reassuring those behind Brighton and Hove's bid it would not have an impact on the final decision.

The contenders would be judged by an independent 12-person Advisory Council, he said.

Mr Clinton, who was joined in Blackpool by Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey, said he grew to love Birmingham as an Oxford student when he visited the city to play basketball.

He was impressed by how it had transformed when he visited it again for the G8 Summit four years ago.

He said: "The first time I went to Birmingham was in the late 1960s to play basketball, when I was a student at Oxford.

"I liked it then but I was astonished at the G8 when I saw how beautiful it was. The buildings, the art, the use of the water - it is an extraordinary jewel of a city and one that I think is not very well known outside the UK.

"So I think if the Capital of Culture designation came, firstly it would be well deserved and secondly it would give Birmingham some of the recognition around the world I would like to see it get."

The judging panel includes Sir Jeremy Isaacs, the former Chief Executive of Channel Four, journalist and author Miranda Sawyer and Sue MacGregor, former presenter of Radio Four's Today programme.

Brighton and Hove's rivals for the honour are Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Canterbury and East Kent, Cardiff, Inverness and the Highlands, Liverpool, Newcastle/Gateshead, Norwich and Oxford.

A shortlist will be completed by the advisory panel in the autumn. The cities will be designated Centres of Culture.

The UK nomination will be selected from this list by Prime Minister Tony Blair by December 2003.

A jury, whose members are nominated by EU institutions, will report on the nomination during 2004 and the council of Ministers will formally designate the city as European Capital of Culture in 2008.