THE Liberal Democrat conference, which should bring hundreds of extra visitors into Bournemouth, gets underway today.

Held at the BIC, the Lib Dems were last at the venue in 2017, having held their 2015 conference at the BIC as well.

With Brexit dominating the political landscape, Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson is likely to announce use today's conference opening to announce the party is poised to campaign to cancel Brexit by revoking Article 50 to allow the UK to remain in the European Union.

This proposal will be voted on by party members at conference.

Meanwhile, Ms Swinson has ruled out backing a Jeremy Corbyn-led government after a general election.

Speaking on the eve of conference she said: "Jeremy Corbyn is not fit to be prime minister. Boris Johnson is not fit to be prime minister."

Among those attending the Lib Dem conference over the next four days will be BCP Council leader and Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate Vikki Slade.

Cllr Slade, speaking in Poole during a recent visit by South West Lib Dem MEP Caroline Voaden, said: "With a key channel port in Poole, this area could well be negatively affected by Brexit, especially a no-deal Brexit.

"Whatever the outcome, businesses and public bodies are already having to divert vital funds and give up time to prepare. It is crucial that the government rules out no-deal.”

Meanwhile, Mrs Voaden, who will be attending conference, said: “It’s clear the uncertainty and disruption around Brexit is causing real problems for businesses across the South West.

"It is also deterring foreign companies from investing in the UK, with a knock-on effect on job creation.

"But this is about more than jobs – this is about impacting people’s livelihoods, their security and their families."

The BIC has also been a regular destination for the Tory party for its autumn conference, the the Conservatives haven't been to the resort since 2006 .

The town has not had a visit from a governing party since Labour came during Gordon Brown’s premiership in 2007.

Political conferences brought up to 20,000 registered attendees to Bournemouth in the heyday of New Labour.

They were said in the past to be worth upwards of £8million to the local economy.

Although Labour and the Conservatives have favoured big cities over seaside resorts in recent years, this is the third time the Liberal Democrats have been in Bournemouth in the past four years.

UKIP held its conference in the town in 2016 and the Green Party in 2015.

The resorts of Bournemouth, Blackpool and Brighton were once the favoured venues for political parties because of their plentiful supply of accommodation and their appeal to volunteers who were using up their annual leave.