Eddie Clein, Richard Kemp, Flo Clucas

Arise Lord Eddie Clein, Lord Richard Kemp, and Baroness Clucas.

Rumours are rife that the three may be in line to be made Lords as the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives seek to rebalance the upper house.

I've been asked again to fill in for Phil Redmond's Daily Post column for a few weeks while he takes a break.

Liverpool's waterfront and city centre became a World Heritage Site in 2004 because it is "the supreme example of a commercial port at a time of Britain's greatest global influence".

Winston Churchill once said that the best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter.

How pleasing then to see average voters in Sefton getting together to discuss democracy and politics.

This has been a long drawn out process from day one (2003) with numerous hurdles to surmount, often seemingly purposeless, before any progress could be made. Under normal circumstances in former times, a Council would have replaced a secondary school building with the money coming via a credit approval, in effect permission for the Council to borrow the money and for repayment of that loan by the Council over 25 years or more to be underwritten by Government. From start to finish that whole process usually took about two and a half years. It took over five years from initial application for BSF Wave 2 until a spade was put into the ground for any new school in Liverpool in this programme. I am surprised the average delay is estimated nationwide as only two years. It is also important to take on board that whilst BSF was primarily about better buildings and better facilities it was also about other things such as having a more flexible and more relevant curriculum, improved teaching methods and even things like having a differently tailored school day.

Imagine a traffic free Dale Street. Imagine that the Churchill flyover is finally demolished.

Once thought unthinkable by some, it may yet become a reality - sooner than you might think.

Rose Bailey and Labour leader Joe Anderson

It's almost a cliche to describe a deceased councillor as a "tireless champion for their community". After all, who would say anything else? Funerals are occasions of custom, convention and, often, cliche. But sometimes, it really is true, as in the case of Liverpool Cllr Rose Bailey, who was laid to rest this week.

New Wirral South MP Alison McGovern today proves herself as a rising star of the Labour party.

Gordon Brown has appointed Ms McGovern as his Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) and will effectively be his right-hand woman once parliament returns.

You've probably guessed I was off work last week by the lack of posts that appeared on my blog.

As Mr Brocklebank would say curiouser and curiouser.

Total Politics is putting together its annual blog poll.

Here are the rules from Total Politics:

If you've walked through Chavasse Park recently you probably won't have failed to notice the poor state of the paths.

Originally they had been covered in a light coloured small gravel type surface that is now full of pot holes.