132-562: Edge Lane is a main road running from the periphery of Liverpool city centre at Hall Lane towards the M62 motorway . Edge Lane technically comprises two roads, that of 'Edge Lane' and that of 'Edge Lane Drive' and passes through the districts of Old Swan , Kensington , Wavertree and Edge Hill . It forms part of the A5047. The road appears in historical records from the 16th century and remained rural until houses and streets were constructed along
264-702: A cathedral city , port city , and metropolitan borough in Merseyside , England. It had a population of 496,770 in 2022. The city is located on the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary , adjacent to the Irish Sea , and is approximately 178 miles (286 km) northwest of London . Liverpool is the fifth largest city in the United Kingdom and the largest settlement in Merseyside. It is part of
396-803: A "global giant". It was announced on 28 May 2010 that Prescott was to be awarded a life peerage , The peerage was gazetted on 15 June in the 2010 Dissolution Honours . He was introduced into the House on 8 July as Baron Prescott , of Kingston upon Hull in the County of East Yorkshire , and the Letters patent were gazetted on 12 July, dated 7 July. Prescott was a director of Super League rugby league club Hull Kingston Rovers , who are based in his former constituency of Kingston upon Hull East. Prescott ran for Labour Party Treasurer in September 2010 but
528-671: A city which also suffered severe aerial bombing during the war. In the 1950s and 1960s, much of the immediate reconstruction that took place in the city centre proved to be deeply unpopular. The historic portions of the city that had survived German bombing suffered extensive destruction during urban renewal. It has been argued that the so-called "Shankland Plan" of the 1960s, named after the town planner Graeme Shankland , led to compromised town planning and vast road-building schemes that devastated and divided inner city neighbourhoods. Concrete brutalist architecture , compromised visions, botched projects and grand designs that were never realised became
660-682: A consequence of the continuing problems centred on Prescott, Blair was preparing to replace him as Deputy Prime Minister with David Miliband , whilst possibly retaining Prescott as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party . In a speech to the 2006 Labour Party Conference in Manchester, Prescott apologised for the bad press he had caused the party during the previous year. He said: "I know in the last year I let myself down, I let you down. So Conference, I just want to say sorry", and confirmed that he would stand down as deputy leader when Blair resigned
792-450: A diverse mixture of residents, including merchants, teachers and journalists, a trend that continued into the side streets. By 1875, many of the houses that adorned Edge Lane had already been constructed and by this time it was considered an attractive suburb , largely due to it being rural, with clean air and a higher quality of housing. Houses built along Edge Lane typically were constructed as three storeys, compared to two storey housing on
924-583: A guest on the television panel show Have I Got News For You . During the episode he had a "pretty heated" interaction with team captain Ian Hislop . In 2019, Prescott hosted the television series Made in Yorkshire (also known as Made in Britain: Yorkshire ) for Channel 5, in which he explored the manufacturing of some of Britain's favourite foods. Prescott gained a reputation in
1056-556: A joint European Capital of Culture for 2008. The celebrations included the erection of La Princesse , a large mechanical spider 20 metres high and weighing 37 tonnes, which represented the "eight legs" of Liverpool: honour, history, music, the Mersey, the ports, governance, sunshine and culture. La Princesse roamed the streets of the city during the festivities, and concluded by entering the Queensway Tunnel . Spearheaded by
1188-488: A key issue. Prescott stood down as an MP at the next general election . His autobiography, Prezza, My Story: Pulling no Punches was published on 29 May 2008 and ghostwritten by Hunter Davies . During the 2010 general election campaign, Prescott toured the UK in a customised white transit van dubbed his "Battlebus" canvassing support for the Labour Party. Prescott was publicly very supportive of Gordon Brown , and called him
1320-749: A major role in the successful negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol on climate change and Prescott led the UK delegation at the discussions. In May 2006, in recognition of his work in delivering the Kyoto Treaty, Tony Blair asked him to work with the Foreign Secretary and the Environment Secretary on developing the Government's post-Kyoto agenda. As minister on 24 August 1999, Prescott made regulations banning
1452-512: A member of the House of Lords on 9 July 2024 under the House of Lords Reform Act 2014 because of non-attendance in the preceding session of Parliament. He retained his peerage. In June 2008, Prescott made a cameo appearance, playing a policeman, in the BBC Radio 4 adaptation of Robert Tressell 's The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists . In 2009, he made a brief cameo appearance as himself in
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#17327828167281584-802: A new system of regulation, but that this meant that a final decision would not be taken before 2015. On 21 February 2015, it was announced Prescott would return to politics as an adviser to Labour leader Ed Miliband . This was a brief return, as Labour lost the imminent general election . In October 2015, Prescott was presented with the Shechtman International Leadership Award at the Sustainable Industrial Processing Summit 2015 in Antalya, Turkey, for his contributions to sustainable development in politics. Prescott ceased to be
1716-525: A pioneer of scientific toponymy in Wales, in "Place Names of North Wales", does not attempt to explain it beyond noting that " lleifiad " is used as a Welsh equivalent of "Liver". A derivative form of a learned borrowing into Welsh ( * llaf ) of Latin lāma (slough, bog, fen) to give " lleifiad " is possible, but unproven. In the Middle Ages , Liverpool existed firstly as farmland within
1848-708: A poor performance by Labour in that year's local elections. He remained as Deputy Prime Minister, with a seat in the Cabinet, and was given a role as a special envoy to the Far East as well as additional responsibilities chairing cabinet committees. Despite having lost his departmental responsibilities it was announced that he would retain his full salary (£134,000pa) and pension entitlements, along with both his grace-and-favour homes, an announcement which received considerable criticism. The press speculated in July 2006 that, as
1980-710: A radio interview in January 1998, Prescott was asked about housing development on the green belt; intending to convey that the government would enlarge green belt protection, Prescott replied: "It's a Labour achievement, and we mean to build on it". He had not intended to make a joke and was distressed when it prompted laughter. In the north of England, Prescott approved the demolition of some 200,000 homes that were judged to be in "failing areas" as part of his Pathfinder regeneration scheme. It has been argued that renovating properties, rather than demolishing them, would have made better financial and community sense. Prescott led
2112-407: A regenerated Albert Dock which proved to be a catalyst for further regeneration. In the mid-1990s, the city enjoyed growth rates higher than the national average. At the end of the 20th century, Liverpool was concentrating on regeneration, a process that continues today. Ongoing regeneration combined with the hosting of internationally significant events has helped to re-purpose Liverpool as one of
2244-653: A similar electoral system to that used for the London Assembly . However, because of opposition, the government was forced to hold regional referendums on the change. The first three were intended to be in the North-East, North-West and Yorkshire and the Humber. The North-East referendum , where support was felt to be strongest, was first, in November 2004, but the vote was 78% against, an overwhelming margin, and
2376-628: A steward and waiter in the Merchant Navy , working for Cunard , and was a popular left-wing union activist. Prescott's time in the Merchant Navy included a cruise from England to New Zealand in 1957. Among the passengers was a former prime minister, Anthony Eden , recuperating after his resignation over the Suez Crisis . Prescott reportedly described Eden as a "real gentleman". Apart from serving Eden, who stayed in his cabin much of
2508-421: Is John". A National Opinion Polls (NOP) survey found that the incident did no public harm to Prescott, and may even have benefited his standing amongst male voters. Speaking on Top Gear , Prescott stated: "I was against fox-hunting, and he thought I was one of the guys he hated because I wanted to keep fox-hunting". He elaborated: When I walked past this guy, and he hit me with the egg, right, I don't know it
2640-428: Is also home to the UK's oldest surviving classical orchestra ( Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra ) and repertory theatre ( Liverpool Playhouse ). In 1864, Peter Ellis built the world's first iron-framed, curtain-walled office building, Oriel Chambers , which was a prototype of the skyscraper. The UK's first purpose-built department store was Compton House , completed in 1867 for the retailer J.R. Jeffrey. It
2772-639: Is also the home of the earliest black community in the UK , the earliest Chinese community in Europe , and the first mosque in England. The name comes from the Old English lifer , meaning thick or muddy water, and pōl , meaning a pool or creek, and is first recorded around 1190 as Liuerpul . According to the Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names , "The original reference
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#17327828167282904-418: Is beyond dispute, claims are sometimes made that the name Liverpool is of Welsh origin, but these are without foundation. The Welsh name for Liverpool is Lerpwl , from a former English local form Leerpool. This is a reduction of the form "Leverpool" with the loss of the intervocalic [v] (seen in other English names and words e.g. Daventry (Northamptonshire) > Danetry, never-do-well > ne’er-do-well). In
3036-570: Is named after the city. As early as 1851, the city was described as "the New York of Europe". During the late 19th and early 20th century, Liverpool was attracting immigrants from across Europe. This resulted in the construction of a diverse array of religious buildings in the city for the new ethnic and religious groups, many of which are still in use today. The Deutsche Kirche Liverpool , Greek Orthodox Church of St Nicholas , Gustav Adolf Church and Princes Road Synagogue were all established in
3168-469: Is often used as a filming location due to its distinctive architecture , and was the fifth most visited UK city by foreign tourists in 2022. It is the only UNESCO City of Music in England and has produced countless musicians , most notably the Beatles , who are widely regarded as the most influential band of all time ; musicians from the city have released more UK No. 1 hit singles than anywhere else in
3300-410: Is said to have been designed by King John near the same time it was granted a royal charter , making it a borough. The original seven streets were laid out in the shape of a double cross: Bank Street (now Water Street ), Castle Street , Chapel Street , Dale Street , Juggler Street (now High Street ), Moor Street (now Tithebarn Street ) and Whiteacre Street (now Old Hall Street ). Liverpool Castle
3432-424: Is similar to the pre-20th century usage of Prime Minister ). The deputy prime minister stands in when the prime minister is unavailable, most visibly at Prime Minister's Questions , and Prescott attended various Heads of Government meetings on behalf of Prime Minister Tony Blair. Since the position of deputy prime minister draws no salary, Prescott's remuneration was based on his position as Secretary of State for
3564-478: Is so-named given it runs along the edge of West Derby , parallel with the division between Wavertree , whilst Edge Hill takes its name directly from the road. The first records of Edge Lane are from 1539, when it was identified as a packhorse track to Prescot . Heavy traffic of coal resulted in the Prescot section of the road falling into a state of disrepair, as noted by the first Act of Parliament dealing with
3696-621: Is the world's oldest existing organisation devoted to the promotion of spaceflight . Its journal, the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society , is the longest-running astronautical publication in the world. John Prescott John Leslie Prescott, Baron Prescott (31 May 1938 – 20 November 2024) was a British politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and as First Secretary of State from 2001 to 2007. A member of
3828-707: The BBC 's Top Gear as the "Star in the Reasonably Priced Car", where he set a lap time of 1.56.7, the second slowest in a Kia Ceed . He also engaged in a discussion with host Jeremy Clarkson regarding his time in Government. In October and November 2008, Prescott was the subject of a two-part documentary, Prescott: the Class System and Me , on BBC Two, looking at the class system in Britain, and asking whether it still exists. In 2009, he featured in
3960-618: The BBC Wales TV series Coming Home about his Welsh family history, with roots in Prestatyn and Chirk . In October 2009, he was featured in another BBC Two documentary, Prescott: The North/South Divide , in which he and his wife Pauline explored the current state of the North-South Divide from their perspective as Northern Englanders long used to living in the south of the country. In April 2015 Prescott appeared as
4092-859: The Brit Awards in 1998, Chumbawamba vocalist Danbert Nobacon poured a jug of iced water over Prescott, saying, "This is for the Liverpool Dockers ". Dock workers in Liverpool had been involved in a two-year industrial dispute: a strike that had turned into a lock-out , until a few weeks earlier. A reporter from the Daily Mirror threw water over Nobacon the following day. In a Cabinet reshuffle on 5 May 2006, Prescott's departmental responsibilities were transferred to Ruth Kelly , as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government , following revelations about his private life and
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4224-568: The British Armed Forces , settled in Liverpool and other port cities. In June 1919, they were subject to attack by whites in racial riots; residents in the port included Swedish immigrants , and both groups had to compete with native people from Liverpool for jobs and housing. In this period, race riots also took place in other port cities. The Housing Act 1919 resulted in mass council housing being built across Liverpool during
4356-545: The English Civil War , including a brief siege in 1644. In 1699, the same year as its first recorded slave ship , Liverpool Merchant , set sail for Africa, Liverpool was made a parish by Act of Parliament . But arguably, the legislation of 1695 that reformed the Liverpool council was of more significance to its subsequent development. Since Roman times , the nearby city of Chester on the River Dee had been
4488-551: The Eurovision Song Contest 2023 . Liverpool has been a centre of invention and innovation. Railways, transatlantic steamships , municipal trams, and electric trains were all pioneered in Liverpool as modes of mass transit. In 1829 and 1836, the first railway tunnels in the world were constructed under Liverpool ( Wapping Tunnel ). From 1950 to 1951, the world's first scheduled passenger helicopter service ran between Liverpool and Cardiff . The first School for
4620-584: The Great War was marked by social unrest, as society grappled with the massive war losses of young men, as well as trying to re-integrate veterans into civilian life and the economy. Unemployment and poor living standards greeted many ex-servicemen. Union organising and strikes took place in numerous locations, including a police strike in Liverpool among the City Police . Numerous colonial soldiers and sailors from Africa and India, who had served with
4752-593: The Labour Party , he was Member of Parliament (MP) for Kingston upon Hull East for 40 years, from 1970 to 2010. He was often seen as the political link to the working class in a Labour Party increasingly led by modernising, middle-class professionals such as Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson , and developed a reputation as a key conciliator in the often fractious relationship between Blair and Gordon Brown . Born in Prestatyn , Wales, in his youth Prescott failed
4884-613: The Liverpool City Region , a combined authority with a population of over 1.5 million. Established as a borough in Lancashire in 1207, Liverpool became a significant town in the late 17th century, when the port at nearby Chester began to silt up. The Port of Liverpool became heavily involved in the Atlantic slave trade , with the first slave ship departing from the town in 1699. The port also imported much of
5016-730: The Macgregor Laird expedition to the Niger River, at that time in progress. This is to a painting by Samuel Austin , Liverpool, from the Mersey . Britain was a major market for cotton imported from the Deep South of the United States, which fed the textile industry in the country. Given the crucial place cotton held in the city's economy, during the American Civil War Liverpool was, in
5148-538: The National Union of Seamen as a full-time official before being elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament (MP) for Kingston upon Hull East in 1970, succeeding Commander Harry Pursey , the retiring Labour MP, and defeating the Conservative challenger Norman Lamont . He had previously attempted to become MP for Southport in 1966, but came in second place, approximately 9,500 votes behind
5280-525: The Paradise Project , a £920 million development based on Paradise Street . This produced one of the most significant changes to Liverpool's city centre since the post-war reconstruction. Renamed as ' Liverpool One ,' the centre opened in May 2008. In 2007, events and celebrations took place in honour of the 800th anniversary of the founding of the borough of Liverpool. Liverpool was designated as
5412-570: The Queensway Tunnel linking Liverpool and Birkenhead . Described as "the eighth wonder of the world" at the time of its construction, it was the longest underwater tunnel in the world for 24 years. In 1897, the Lumière brothers filmed Liverpool, including what is believed to be the world's first tracking shot , taken from the Liverpool Overhead Railway , the world's first elevated electrified railway. The Overhead Railway
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5544-561: The River Dee continued to silt up, Liverpool began to grow with increasing rapidity. The first commercial wet dock was built in Liverpool in 1715. Substantial profits from the slave trade and tobacco helped the town to prosper and rapidly grow, although several prominent local men, including William Rathbone , William Roscoe and Edward Rushton , were at the forefront of the local abolitionist movement . The 19th century saw Liverpool rise to global economic importance. Pioneering, world first , technology and civic facilities launched in
5676-477: The West Derby Hundred before growing in to a small town of farmers, fishermen and tradesmen and tactical army base for King John of England . The town was planned with its own castle , although due to outbreaks of disease and its subordinance to the nearby Roman port of Chester , the town's growth and prosperity stagnated until the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Substantial growth took place in
5808-534: The election to be the first Police and crime commissioner for Humberside Police . In June he was selected as the Labour candidate for the election in November 2012. In the November election Prescott won the most first preference votes but ended up losing to Conservative Matthew Grove in the second count. In March 2013, Prescott suggested that the Queen, Elizabeth II , should abdicate due to her health. Prescott
5940-580: The eleven-plus entrance exam for grammar school and worked as a ship's steward and trade union activist. He went on to graduate from Ruskin College and the University of Hull . In the 1994 Labour Party leadership election , he stood for both the leadership and deputy leadership , winning election to the latter office. He was appointed deputy prime minister after Labour's victory in the 1997 election , with an expanded brief as Secretary of State for
6072-482: The sea-holly was Liverpool's final choice. The initiative was designed to highlight growing threats to the UK's flower species and also ask the public about which flowers best represented their county. Capitalising on the popularity of 1960s rock groups, such as the Beatles , as well as the city's world-class art galleries, museums and landmarks, tourism and culture have become a significant factor in Liverpool's economy. In 2004, property developer Grosvenor started
6204-484: The " Merseybeat " sound, which became synonymous with the Beatles and fellow Liverpudlian rock bands. Influenced by American rhythm and blues and rock music, they also in turn strongly affected American music. The Beatles became internationally known in the early 1960s and performed around the world together ; they were, and continue to be, the most commercially successful and musically influential band in popular history. Their co-founder, singer, and composer John Lennon
6336-537: The 1800s to serve Liverpool's growing German, Greek, Nordic and Jewish communities, respectively. One of Liverpool's oldest surviving churches, St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church , served the Polish community in its final years as a place of worship. The 20th century saw Liverpool's established rank as a global economic powerhouse challenged. Its strategic location as an international seaport made it particularly vulnerable in two World wars . Economic depressions (both in
6468-568: The 1840s when Irish migrants began arriving by the hundreds of thousands as a result of the Great Famine . While many Irish settled during this time in the city, a large percentage also emigrated to the United States or moved to the industrial centres of Lancashire , Yorkshire and the Midlands . In her poetical illustration "Liverpool" (1832), which celebrates the city's worldwide commerce, Letitia Elizabeth Landon refers specifically to
6600-480: The 1920s and 1930s. In the 1920s and 1930s, as much as 15% of the city's population (around 140,000 people) was relocated from the inner-city to new purpose built, lower density suburban housing estates, based on the belief that this would improve their standard of living, though the overall benefits have been contested. Numerous private homes were also built during this era. During the Great Depression of
6732-555: The 1970s and the cost to demolish significant number of properties meant this plan never came to fruition. The current start of the motorway is known as junction 5, as Edge Lane was planned to form part of the first section and junctions. Edge Lane underwent significant road widening, known as the Edge Lane project, during 2010-2012 estimated to cost £20.4m in 2010. For the widening to be viable, 371 houses were compulsory purchased by Liverpool City Council to be demolished in order for
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#17327828167286864-411: The 19th century, some Welsh publications used the name " Lle'r Pwll " ("(the) place (of) the pool"), a reinterpretation of Lerpwl , probably in the belief that " Lle'r Pwll " was the original form. Another name, which is widely known even today, is Llynlleifiad , again a 19th-century coining. " Llyn " is pool, but " lleifiad " has no obvious meaning. G. Melville Richards (1910–1973),
6996-822: The Blind , Mechanics' Institute , High School for Girls, council house, and Juvenile Court were all founded in Liverpool. Charities such as the RSPCA , NSPCC , Age Concern , Relate , and Citizen's Advice Bureau all evolved from work in the city. The first lifeboat station, public bath and wash-house, sanitary act, medical officer for health ( William Henry Duncan ), district nurse, slum clearance , purpose-built ambulance, X-ray medical diagnosis, school of tropical medicine ( Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine ), motorised municipal fire-engine, free school meal, cancer research centre, and zoonosis research centre all originated in Liverpool. The first British Nobel Prize
7128-504: The Code of Conduct gives guidance on when councillors have an interest in a matter under discussion and when that interest is prejudicial so that the councillor may not speak or vote on the matter. Although on many areas councillors had previously been expected to withdraw where they had declared an interest, the new system was more formal and introduced specific sanctions for breaches; it was criticised for preventing councillors from representing
7260-707: The Conservative candidate. From July 1975 to 1979, he concurrently served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and Leader of the Labour Group, when its members were nominated by the national Parliaments. In 1988 Prescott and Eric Heffer challenged Roy Hattersley for the deputy leadership of the party, but Hattersley was re-elected as deputy leader. Prescott stood again in the 1992 deputy leadership election , following Hattersley's retirement, but lost to Margaret Beckett . Prescott held various posts in Labour's shadow cabinet , but his career
7392-405: The Environment, Transport and the Regions until 2001 . This "super department" was then broken up, with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for Transport established as separate entities. Prescott, still deputy prime minister, was also given the largely honorific title of First Secretary of State . In July 2001 an Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM)
7524-407: The Environment, Transport and the Regions until 2001, then subsequently as First Secretary of State until 2007. In June 2007, he resigned as deputy prime minister, coinciding with Blair's resignation as prime minister. Following an election within the Labour Party, he was replaced as deputy leader by Harriet Harman . After retiring as a member of Parliament at the 2010 general election , Prescott
7656-498: The June 1996 prospectus for the sale of Railtrack shares, and was widely regarded as having depressed the price of the shares. In 1998, Prescott was criticised by Transport Minister John Reid for his statement – at the Labour Party conference that year – that the privatised railway was a "national disgrace", despite receiving a standing ovation from the Labour Party audience. The companies said that they had had some considerable successes in cutting costs and generating new revenues in
7788-415: The Mersey, and the CSS Shenandoah surrendered there (being the final surrender at the end of the war). The city was also the center of Confederate purchasing war materiel, including arms and ammunition, uniforms, and naval supplies to be smuggled by British blockade runners to the South . For periods during the 19th century, the wealth of Liverpool exceeded that of London, and Liverpool's Custom House
7920-473: The National Olympian Association in Liverpool, a forerunner of the British Olympic Association . Its articles of foundation provided the framework for the Olympic Charter . A concept devised by retail entrepreneur David Lewis , the first Christmas grotto opened in Lewis's department store in Liverpool in 1879. Sir Alfred Lewis Jones , a shipowner, introduced bananas to the UK via Liverpool's docks in 1884. The Mersey Railway , opened in 1886, incorporated
8052-425: The Queen recognised Liverpool as "one of the most distinctive and energetic parts of the United Kingdom", and paid tribute to the city's "major orchestras, world-class museums and galleries". She also acknowledged Liverpool's bid to become the European Capital of Culture . To celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2002, the conservation charity Plantlife organised a competition to choose county flowers ;
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#17327828167288184-448: The UK's first Underwriters' Association and the first Institute of Accountants . The Western world's first financial derivatives (cotton futures) were traded on the Liverpool Cotton Exchange in the late 1700s. In the arts, Liverpool was home to the first lending library ( The Lyceum ), athenaeum society ( Liverpool Athenaeum ), arts centre ( Bluecoat Chambers ), and public art conservation centre ( National Conservation Centre ). It
8316-414: The United Kingdom and across the world), changing housing patterns and containerisation in the maritime industry contributed to a downtrend in the city's productivity and prosperity. Despite this, the city's influence on global popular culture excelled and by the end of the century, the continuing process of urban renewal paved the way for the redefined modern city of the 21st century. The period after
8448-422: The alternative policy, produced by shadow transport secretary Clare Short , that the industry should be subjected to closer regulation by the to-be-created Strategic Rail Authority in the case of the passenger train operators, and the Rail Regulator in the case of the monopoly and dominant elements in the industry, principally Railtrack. The policy was spelled out in some detail in the Labour Party's statement in
8580-411: The area. More immigrants arrived after World War II, mostly settling in older inner-city areas such as Toxteth , where housing was less expensive. The black population of Liverpool was recorded at 1.90% in 2011. In the 2021 Census , 5.2% described themselves as black African, Caribbean, mixed white and black African, mixed white and Caribbean or 'other black'. In the 1960s, Liverpool was the centre of
8712-418: The campaign to abolish council housing, which ran out of steam when tenants in Birmingham voted to stay with the council in 2002. A previous attempt to privatise all the council housing in the London Borough of Camden failed in 1997. On 17 December 2005, Prescott made public his disapproval of Tony Blair 's plans to give state schools the right to govern their finances and admission policies and to increase
8844-406: The central government in London. Liverpool in the 1980s has been labelled as Britain's 'shock city'. Once the second city of the British Empire which rivalled the capital city in global significance, Liverpool had collapsed in to its 'nadir' at the depths of post-colonial , post-industrial Britain. In the late 20th century, Liverpool's economy began to recover. The late 1980s saw the opening of
8976-408: The city and form an important part of the economy. In June 2014, Prime Minister David Cameron launched the International Festival for Business in Liverpool, the world's largest business event in 2014, and the largest in the UK since the Festival of Britain in 1951. The Labour Party has chosen Liverpool numerous times since the mid 2010s for their annual Labour Party Conference . Liverpool hosted
9108-494: The city to serve the accelerating population which was fuelled by an influx of ethnic and religious communities from all around the world. By the start of the 19th century, a large volume of trade was passing through Liverpool, and the construction of major buildings reflected this wealth. In 1830, Liverpool and Manchester became the first cities to have an intercity rail link, through the Liverpool and Manchester Railway . The population continued to rise rapidly, especially during
9240-414: The city's docks became largely obsolete, and dock workers were made unemployed. By the early 1980s, unemployment rates in Liverpool were among the highest in the UK, standing at 17% by January 1982 although, this was about half the level of unemployment that had affected the city during the Great Depression some 50 years previously. During this period, Liverpool became a hub of fierce left-wing opposition to
9372-484: The city. By the 2020s, urban regeneration throughout the city continues. Liverpool Waters , a mixed-use development in the city's disused northern docklands, has been identified as one of the largest megaprojects in the UK's history. Everton's new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock was regarded as the largest single-site private sector development in the United Kingdom at the time of construction. Major events, business and political conferences regularly take place in
9504-602: The city. The second High Court challenge was dismissed in March 2009, allowing the compulsory purchase of remaining properties and for the scheme to go ahead. The widened road, a dual-carriageway to and from the M62 motorway , opened in March 2012 at total cost of £57m including costs to demolish houses along the route. Edge Lane railway station was a former station that operated on the Canada Dock Branch , before it closed in May 1948. Bus route 7 (to Warrington) runs
9636-426: The compulsory purchase order at the high court in 2006 and were ultimately successful in having it quashed in November 2006. Ministers approved a second order in September 2008, following a second public enquiry, to allow the council to acquire the last remaining properties. By the time the second order was issued, around 70 residents had yet to reach any agreement for the sale of their property, although roughly 90% of
9768-572: The cotton required by the neighbouring Lancashire textile mills , and became a major departure point for English and Irish emigrants to North America. Liverpool rose to global economic importance at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century and was home to the first intercity railway , the first non-combustible warehouse system (the Royal Albert Dock ), and a pioneering elevated electrical railway ; it
9900-580: The early 1930s, unemployment peaked at around 30% in the city. Liverpool was the site of Britain's first provincial airport , operating from 1930. During the Second World War , the critical strategic importance of Liverpool was recognised by both Hitler and Churchill . The city was heavily bombed by the Germans, suffering a blitz second only to London's. The pivotal Battle of the Atlantic
10032-500: The final episode of the BBC Three comedy series Gavin & Stacey (this referred to a running joke in the show regarding a relationship the character Nessa had had with him many years previously). Beginning on 7 January 2011, Prescott appeared in a TV advert for price comparison website moneysupermarket.com , along with comedian Omid Djalili , which gently mocks events in his political career. On 27 February 2011, he appeared on
10164-519: The formation of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority in a form of devolution . With a devolved budget granted by central government , the authority now oversees and invests in foremost strategic affairs throughout the Liverpool City Region , including major regeneration projects. The authority, along with Liverpool City Council itself, has embarked on long-term plans to grow the population and economy of
10296-401: The full length of the road. Edge Lane has several Grade II listed buildings. Amongst the more notable places of interest along Edge Lane include Edge Lane Retail Park , Littlewoods Pools building , The Grange and Wavertree Botanic Park and Gardens . Citations Sources Sources taken from Edge Lane West, Liverpool: Historical Assessment 2007 Liverpool Liverpool is
10428-711: The government, Prescott took over from Tony Lloyd as the lead UK Representative in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe . In a jocular response to the appointment, Shadow Europe Minister Mark Francois wished the translators good luck. The post was unpaid but had an expenses allowance and allowed him to sit on the Assembly of the Western European Union . He used his role on the council to make his campaign against slave labour
10560-429: The highway in 1745. The oldest surviving house is 115 Edge Lane, also known as Adelaide House, a Grade II listed building . Many merchant princes of Liverpool were born or resided at Edge Lane or the neighbouring Edge Hill. Gores directory of Liverpool from 1825 and 1827 show houses being occupied by a mixture of merchants and gentry rather than workers of a single predominant trade. The 1881 census further suggests
10692-479: The leadership contest, with Prescott being elected deputy leader. With the formation of a Labour government in 1997 , Prescott was made Deputy Prime Minister and given a very large portfolio as the head of the newly created Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions . In the United Kingdom, the title of Deputy Prime Minister is used only occasionally, and confers no constitutional powers (in which it
10824-408: The local economy within a year. The economy of Liverpool is diversified and encompasses tourism, culture , maritime , hospitality , healthcare , life sciences , advanced manufacturing, creative , and digital sectors. The city is home to the UK's second highest number of art galleries , national museums , listed buildings , and parks and open spaces , with only London having more. It
10956-558: The mid-late 18th century when the town became the most heavily involved European port in the Atlantic slave trade . King John 's letters patent of 1207 announced the foundation of the borough of Liverpool (then spelt as Liuerpul ). There is no evidence that the place had previously been a centre of any trade. The creation of the borough was probably due to King John deciding it would be a convenient place to embark men and supplies for his Irish campaigns , in particular John's Irish campaign of 1209 . The original street plan of Liverpool
11088-484: The most visited, tourist orientated, cities in the United Kingdom. City leaders are focussing on long-term strategies to grow the city's population and economy, while national government explores the continuous potential for devolution in the city. In 2002, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visited Liverpool to mark the Golden Jubilee . On speaking to an audience at Liverpool Town Hall ,
11220-622: The multi-billion- pound Liverpool ONE development, regeneration continued throughout the 2010s. Some of the most significant redevelopment projects included new buildings in the Commercial District , King's Dock , Mann Island , around Lime Street , the Baltic Triangle , RopeWalks , and Edge Lane . Changes to Liverpool's governance took place in 2014. The local authority of Liverpool City Council decided to pool its power and resources with surrounding boroughs through
11352-401: The number of city academies . It was the first policy stance that Prescott had made against Blair since his election as leader in 1994. Prescott said that the move would create a two-tier educational system that would discriminate against the working class. He added that Labour were "always better fighting class". Prescott, sometimes described as old-school trades unionist, kept in touch with
11484-473: The plan for elected regional assemblies was shelved. A rising number of households (especially in the south-east) were putting added pressure on housing during Prescott's tenure as the minister responsible. An increase in the housebuilding was proposed, primarily on brownfield sites, but also on some undeveloped greenfield areas and as a result he was accused of undermining the Green Belt . During
11616-481: The premiership. Prescott subsequently announced in the House of Commons that he was "... in a rather happy demob stage", in January 2007. Within 30 minutes of Blair announcing the date of his resignation on 10 May 2007, Prescott announced his resignation as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. During the subsequent special Labour Party Conference, Gordon Brown was elected Leader and Harriet Harman succeeded Prescott as Deputy Leader. Following his resignation from
11748-613: The press for confused speech, mangled syntax and poor grammar. The Guardian columnist Simon Hoggart once commented: "Every time Prescott opens his mouth, it's like someone has flipped open his head and stuck in an egg whisk." An oft-quoted but unverified story in Jeremy Paxman 's The Political Animal is that, before being accepted as transcribers to the Parliamentary record Hansard , applicants must listen to one of Prescott's speeches and write down what they think he
11880-482: The project to take place, to be replaced with 188 new homes. In 2004, there were 131 empty houses in the Edge Lane West area, of which only four properties were owned privately with the rest owned by social landlords , who purposely kept properties empty to encourage tenants to leave the area. A public enquiry into the scheme was held in 2006 which resulted in a decision that homes should be demolished to allow
12012-442: The properties affected were already either purchased or were in the process of being purchased. Former Leader of Liverpool City Council, Warren Bradley , suggested that the scheme to regenerate the Edge Lane area had the overwhelming support of residents. In the lead up to European Capital of Culture 2008, the properties were given a fresher look by being covered in colourful decorated boarding showing images culturally important to
12144-494: The railway industry needed a considerable shake-up in its institutional, operational, engineering and economic matrix to attract and retain private investment and enable the companies within it to become strong, competent and successful. Prescott, responsible for local government, introduced a new system guiding members' conduct after 2001. The new system included a nationally agreed Code of Conduct laid down by statutory instrument which all local authorities were required to adopt;
12276-552: The region's principal port on the Irish Sea . However, as the Dee began to silt up , maritime trade from Chester became increasingly difficult and shifted towards Liverpool on the neighbouring River Mersey . The first of the Liverpool docks was constructed in 1715, and the system of docks gradually grew into a large interconnected system. As trade from the West Indies , including sugar, surpassed that of Ireland and Europe, and as
12408-449: The route during the 19th century. Following a project to widen the road in 2012, numerous properties were demolished to facilitate the route becoming dual carriageway, which in 2008 was described as being one of Merseyside's "biggest traffic bottlenecks" into the city centre as a result of rush hour congestion. There is a large leisure park on the route containing various amenities such as bowling alley and fast food outlets. The road
12540-494: The scheme to take place, a decision which was upheld by then Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott in February 2006. Work on this part of the development did not commence and instead was delayed when the compulsory purchase order was challenged in the high court on a technical matter by one property owner from Adderley Street, who in 2006 won a High Court injunction to prevent demolition work from continuing. Campaigners challenged
12672-425: The short time since their transfer to private sector hands, and that the criticisms were premature and unfair. In that speech, Prescott also announced that he would be taking a far tougher line with the companies, and to that end he would be having a "spring clean" of the industry. In July 1998 Prescott published a transport White Paper stating that the rail industry needed an element of stability and certainty if it
12804-570: The sobriquets became more colourful, leading to "Two Jags", which set the template for later nicknames. Prescott owned one Jaguar , and had the use of another as his official ministerial car. A later version of this term was "Two Jabs", following his retaliation against a protester farmer in 2001, and "Two Shacks", referring to his former country house . When he lost his department in a cabinet reshuffle following exposure of his affair, newspapers dubbed him "Two Shags" and "No Jobs". Banned from driving after being convicted of speeding in 1991, Prescott
12936-449: The south half of the street's housing had been demolished to accommodate a direct link between the two roads. A map from 1938 shows Edge Lane Drive extending further east into Broad Green , although this section would later become known as Thomas Drive. During construction of the M62 motorway , original plans intended for the motorway to start from Liverpool's City Centre and run along the path of Edge Lane, however economic decline during
13068-433: The streets parallel and off the road. In the early 20th century, an eastern section named Edge Lane Drive appeared on maps, although was not a direct extension to Edge Lane as streets of houses split the two into distinctly separate roads. A map from 1895 shows the road was built over fields immediately south of Oak Hill Park. By 1925, the street that had separated the two roads, Springfield Street, ceased to exist on maps and
13200-440: The subject of condemnation. Historian Raphael Samuel labelled Graeme Shankland "the butcher of Liverpool". A significant West Indian black community has existed in the city since the first two decades of the 20th century. Like most British cities and industrialised towns, Liverpool became home to a significant number of Commonwealth immigrants, beginning after World War I with colonial soldiers and sailors who had served in
13332-500: The time, Prescott also won several boxing contests, at which Eden presented the prizes. He married Pauline "Tilly" Tilston at Upton Church in Chester on 11 November 1961. He then went to Ruskin College , which specialises in courses for union officials, where he gained a diploma in economics and politics in 1965. In 1968, he obtained a BSc degree in economics and economic history from the University of Hull . Prescott returned to
13464-441: The use of chrysotile asbestos, which resulted in a complete ban on the use of any products containing asbestos in the United Kingdom from 24 November 1999. On coming to office, Prescott pursued an integrated public transport policy. On 6 June 1997, he said: "I will have failed if in five years time there are not...far fewer journeys by car. It's a tall order but I urge you to hold me to it." However, by June 2002, car traffic
13596-515: The views of the traditional Labour voters throughout his career. He became an important figure in Tony Blair 's " New Labour " movement, as the representative of 'old Labour' interests in the Shadow cabinet and subsequently around the Cabinet table as Deputy Prime Minister. However, now a member of the establishment, relationships with the grass roots were not always smooth. Whilst attending
13728-477: The views of their local communities. Prescott supported regional government in England. Early in his term, he introduced regional assemblies consisting of delegates from local authorities and other regional stakeholders to oversee the work of new Regional Development Agencies in the regions of England. Following Labour's second election victory, he pressed for the introduction of elected regional assemblies, which would have seen about 25 to 35 members elected under
13860-404: The war ended. In 2016, after publication of the resultant Chilcot Report, which was critical of the war but remained neutral on its legality, Prescott declared that the invasion by UK and US forces had been "illegal" and that members of Tony Blair's Cabinet "were given too little paper documentation to make decisions". In February 2012, Prescott announced he would stand for Labour's nomination in
13992-702: The words of historian Sven Beckert , "the most pro-Confederate place in the world outside the Confederacy itself." Liverpool merchants helped to bring out cotton from ports blockaded by the Union Navy , built ships of war for the Confederacy , and supplied the South with military equipment and credit. During the war, the Confederate Navy ship, the CSS Alabama , was built at Birkenhead on
14124-419: The world's first tunnel under a tidal estuary and the world's first deep-level underground stations ( Liverpool James Street railway station ). In 1889, borough engineer John Alexander Brodie invented the football goal net. He was also a pioneer in the use of pre-fabricated housing and oversaw the construction of the UK's first ring road ( A5058 ) and intercity highway ( East Lancashire Road ), as well as
14256-444: The world. It has also produced many academics , actors , artists , comedians , filmmakers , poets , scientists , sportspeople , and writers . In sports, it is known as the home of Premier League football teams Everton FC and Liverpool FC . The world's oldest still-operating mainline train station, Liverpool Lime Street , is in the city centre; transport is also served by the underground Merseyrail network. The city's port
14388-605: Was Welsh. I'm Welsh. It's my place of birth, my country." He left Wales in 1942 at the age of four and was brought up initially in Brinsworth , Rotherham, in the West Riding of Yorkshire , England. He attended Brinsworth Manor School, where in 1949 he sat but failed the 11-Plus examination to attend Rotherham Grammar School . Shortly afterwards, his family moved to Upton-by-Chester , and he attended Grange Secondary Modern School in nearby Ellesmere Port . Prescott became
14520-442: Was an egg, I just feel this very warm thing running down my neck and I think, well I just think somebody's perhaps knifed me or assaulted me, you know, that all happens in a split second, and I see this fellow built like a bloody barn door, and I turned, and I reacted, and when Tony [Blair] asked me, er, what happened I said I was carrying out his orders; he told us to connect with the electorate, so I did. This incident earned Prescott
14652-484: Was awarded in 1902 to Ronald Ross , professor at the School of Tropical Medicine, the first school of its kind in the world. Orthopaedic surgery was pioneered in Liverpool by Hugh Owen Thomas , and modern medical anaesthetics by Thomas Cecil Gray . The world's first integrated sewer system was constructed in Liverpool by James Newlands , appointed in 1847 as the UK's first borough engineer. Liverpool also founded
14784-543: Was banned again after a similar conviction in June 2015. During the 2001 election campaign , Prescott was campaigning in Rhyl , Denbighshire , when Craig Evans threw an egg at him. Prescott, a former amateur boxer , responded immediately with a left jab punch to the jaw. The incident, overshadowing the launch of the Labour Party manifesto on that day, was captured by television cameras. Tony Blair responded by stating: "John
14916-489: Was born in Prestatyn , Wales, on 31 May 1938 to John Herbert ("Bert") Prescott and Phyllis, née Parrish . Prescott's father was a railway signalman , Justice of the Peace , and Labour councillor. His family won a competition to find the "most typical British family of 1951". In 2009, he said: "I've always felt very proud of Wales and being Welsh ... I was born in Wales, went to school in Wales and my mother
15048-404: Was built before 1235, it survived until it was demolished in the 1720s. By the middle of the 16th century, the population was still around 600, although this was likely to have fallen from an earlier peak of 1000 people due to slow trade and the effects of the plague . In the 17th century, there was slow progress in trade and population growth. Battles for control of the town were waged during
15180-482: Was created to administer the areas remaining under his responsibility. This was originally part of the Cabinet Office , but became a department in its own right in May 2002, when it absorbed some of the responsibilities of the former Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions. The ODPM had responsibility for local and regional government, housing, communities and the fire service. The UK played
15312-536: Was criticised for his position by several MPs. On 6 July 2013, Prescott revealed in a newspaper column that he had resigned from the Privy Council in protest against the delays to the introduction of press regulation. The resignation only became effective on 6 November the same year. The Coalition Government had insisted that the Privy Council must consider a cross-party Royal Charter to underpin
15444-518: Was defeated by Diana Holland , who took 68.96% of the total vote. On 30 July 2010, Prescott appeared before the panel at the Chilcot Inquiry concerning the Iraq War . Prescott stated that he was doubtful about the legality, intelligence and information about Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction . The inquiry was launched by Gordon Brown in the summer of 2009 shortly after operations in
15576-585: Was fined for speeding on four occasions. Prescott had a stormy relationship with the privatisation of the railway industry. He had vigorously opposed the privatisation of the industry while the Labour Party was in opposition, and disliked the party's policy, established in 1996 just before the flotation of Railtrack on the London Stock Exchange , of committing to renationalise the industry only when resources allowed, which he saw as meaning that it would never be done. Reluctantly, he supported
15708-541: Was granted city status in 1880 and was moved from Lancashire to the newly created county of Merseyside in 1974 . Like many other British cities, it entered a period of decline in the mid-20th century; however, it has experienced significant and ongoing regeneration since the European Union selected it as the European Capital of Culture in 2008, which was reported to have generated over £800 million for
15840-575: Was highlighted between Prescott's transport brief and an incident, in 1999, when an official chauffeur-driven car was used to transport Prescott and his wife 250 yards (230 m) from their hotel to the venue of the Labour Party Conference, where Prescott gave a speech on how to encourage the use of public transport. Prescott explained, "Because of the security reasons for one thing and second, my wife doesn't like to have her hair blown about. Have you got another silly question?" Prescott
15972-623: Was killed in New York City in 1980. Liverpool Airport was renamed after him in 2002, the first British airport to be named in honour of an individual. Previously part of Lancashire, and a county borough from 1889, Liverpool became a metropolitan borough within the newly created metropolitan county of Merseyside , in 1974. From the mid-1970s onwards, Liverpool's docks and traditional manufacturing industries declined due to restructuring of shipping and heavy industry, causing massive losses of jobs. The advent of containerisation meant that
16104-471: Was made a life peer and sat in the House of Lords until 2024. He stood unsuccessfully as the Labour candidate in the 2012 election to be the first police and crime commissioner for Humberside Police . Prescott resigned from the Privy Council in 2013 in protest against delays to the introduction of press regulation, of which he had become a proponent. In February 2015, he briefly returned to politics as an adviser to Labour leader Ed Miliband . Prescott
16236-463: Was planned, fought and won from Liverpool. The Luftwaffe made 80 air raids on Merseyside , killing 2,500 people and causing damage to almost half the homes in the metropolitan area. Significant rebuilding followed the war, including massive housing estates and the Seaforth Dock , the largest dock project in Britain. Since 1952, Liverpool has been twinned with Cologne , Germany,
16368-541: Was secured by an impassioned closing speech in the debate at the Labour Party Conference in 1993 on the introduction of "one member, one vote" for the selection and reselection of Labour Parliamentary candidates that helped swing the vote in favour of this reform. In 1994 Prescott was a candidate in the party leadership election that followed the death of leader John Smith , standing for the positions of both leader and deputy leader . Tony Blair won
16500-454: Was the first railway in the world to use electric multiple units , employ automatic signalling, and install an escalator. Liverpool inventor Frank Hornby was a visionary in toy development and manufacture, producing three of the most popular lines of toys in the 20th century: Meccano , Hornby Model Railways (both in 1901), and Dinky Toys in 1934. The British Interplanetary Society , founded in Liverpool in 1933 by Phillip Ellaby Cleator,
16632-485: Was the fourth largest in the UK in 2023, with numerous shipping and freight lines having headquarters and offices there. Residents of Liverpool are often called "Scousers" in reference to scouse , a local stew made popular by sailors in the city, while "Scouse" is also the most common name given to the distinctive local accent . The city's cultural and ethnic diversity has resulted from its history of attracting immigrants, especially from Ireland, Scandinavia, and Wales; it
16764-535: Was the largest store in the world at the time. Between 1862 and 1867, Liverpool held an annual Grand Olympic Festival . Devised by John Hulley and Charles Pierre Melly , these games were the first to be wholly amateur in nature and international in outlook. The programme of the first modern Olympiad in Athens in 1896 was almost identical to that of the Liverpool Olympics. In 1865, Hulley co-founded
16896-598: Was the single largest contributor to the British Exchequer . Liverpool was the only British city ever to have its own Whitehall office. During this century, at least 40% of the world's entire trade passed through Liverpool. In the early 19th century, Liverpool played a major role in the Antarctic sealing industry, in recognition of which Liverpool Beach in the South Shetland Islands
17028-522: Was to a pool or tidal creek now filled up into which two streams drained". The place appearing as Leyrpole , in a legal record of 1418, may also refer to Liverpool. Other origins of the name have been suggested, including "elverpool", a reference to the large number of eels in the Mersey . The adjective "Liverpudlian" was first recorded in 1833. Although the Old English origin of the name Liverpool
17160-572: Was to plan its activities effectively. In February 1999, the regulation of the passenger rail operators fell to Sir Alastair Morton , who Prescott announced would be appointed as chairman of the Strategic Rail Authority, which would take over from the Director of Passenger Rail Franchising whose office would be wound up. In July 1999, the new Rail Regulator appointed by Prescott was Tom Winsor . They shared Prescott's view that
17292-538: Was trying to say. However, Liz Davies wrote that on the Labour National Executive Committee , Prescott "spoke in clear, concise sentences and his point was always understandable. Contrary to his television and parliamentary image, he appears to choose his words with care." The media attached various sobriquets to Prescott during his political career. Originally, Prescott's nickname was "Prezza", but as various misfortunes befell him
17424-455: Was up by 7%. This prompted Friends of the Earth 's Tony Bosworth to say "By its own test, Government transport policy has failed". Prescott successfully focused attention on the role of car usage in the bigger environmental picture, and the need for effective public transport alternatives if car volume was to be reduced. The subsequent debate on road pricing evolved from his policy. A contrast
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