ROGER DODGES CULTURE'S POISONED CHALICE!

WORD on the streets is that Roger 'voice of the people' Phillips has turned down an offer to become Liverpool's cultural Ambassador.
The BBC Radio Merseyside presenter was offered the poisoned chalice by the Harbarrowboy.
'Jase' had been given the go-ahead by Councillors Bradley and Storey after the hoo-hah following Robbing's departure.
But Phillips sensibly said 'no', astutely realising that he would be on a hiding to nothing if he succumbed to the Culture Company's blandishments. (He means public money, ed)
One BBC colleague said: "He was very flattered to be asked, but decided the role was just not right for him.
"After the departure of Robbing Archer, the Culture Company clearly need someone who can be the front man for Culture and who will be trusted by the public.
"Roger fitted the bill perfectly, is very loyal to Liverpool and has no ego whatsoever, which would have been a nice change from all that has gone before.
"But it would have compromised his own editorial independence and caused Auntie Beeb some real problems too."
Both Bradley and Storey were known to be very keen on the trusted Phillips, whose long-standing connections with the Everyman and Playhouse gave him extra cultural credibility.
Bradley, it is believed, had earlier blocked suggestions from the Harbarrowboy that the Cultural Ambassador should be none other than Phil Redmond, lugubrious millionaire ex-boss of Brookside and 'mastermind' behind the preposterous plan for Liverpool to become Capital of Christmas (and an alleged mate of Sir Diddy's, ed).

(A lengthy editorial aside now follows: if anyone else has any other alliterative ideas for Liverpool to become Capital of anything else, can you please forget them and go back to the drawing board? The last thing we want for the next five years is for Liverpool to become Capital of Karaoke, Capital of Car Jacking, Capital of Cream Crackers or Capital of Cobblers (well we might make an exception with that one). Such ideas may well excite the Echo, but they really belong on the cutting room floor of a third rate public relations agency. Now where were we? ed)

Bradley believed Redmond would only use the position to soften up the ground for his bid to become elected Mayor of Liverpoool, post 2008.
So he wasn't going to let that happen.
Now that Roger Phillips has wisely spurned the Culture Company, it's not clear whether the Harbarrowboy will continue to pursue his hunt for another Cultural Ambassador to 'front' the whole show.
Perhaps we will see a glorious repeat of the disastrous Bet Lynch appointment?
Nominations for Ambassador anyone?

IS FLO FLYING THE NEST?

STRONG rumour in the city has it that Flo Clucas, the Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Europe, is preparing to cross the floor to Labour.
The veteran Lib Dem had her nose pushed out earlier this year when she was well beaten into third place in the election of a new leader, after Storey took a powder.
There is no love lost between new leader Warren Bradley and Councillor Clucas, who was, of course, one of Henshaw's biggest fans in the days of the evil cabal.
Henshaw deliberately courted her as a rival power base to Storey and when Sir Diddy delivered his blackmail note to the city, she failed to rally round her Leader.
Then she proceeded to swan around Europe slagging Storey off, according to Labour Euro MP's.
Quite how she would get on in the Labour group if she crossed the floor, is anyone's guess.
Some would see it as a cynical last-ditch attempt by her to get her hands on power before the Lib Dems are booted out.
Others would see it as an egomaniac's last throw of the dice.
Others would see it as complete madness.
The Lib Dems have been busily rubbishing these rumours of defection, but a wise counsellor says caution should be exercised before anyone completely dismisses the idea.
Intriguing....