LIVERPOOL poet Roger McGough is a front-runner to succeed Andrew Motion as the next Poet Laureate, it has emerged.

McGough’s name appeared near the top of a poll conducted by the Poetry Society, which is advising the Government on filling the post when it becomes vacant at the end of April.

It has also been reported that Simon Armitage and Carol Ann Duffy both scored highly in a survey of the Poetry Society’s members.

McGough has been quoted as saying he would be “honoured” if offered the post, which comes with a salary of £21,000 and 60 bottles of sherry a year.

He said: “It is one of the very few, very visible things which poetry has. Advocacy of poetry must be the most important aspect.”

McGough said he agreed with the growing consensus that the Laureate’s tenure should be less than its current 10 years.

McGough, 71, one of the Liverpool Poets with Adrian Henri and Brian Patten, was a member of The Scaffold.

Their joint publication, The Mersey Sound, in 1967, became one of Britain's biggest-selling poetry collections.

They also had successes with Lily the Pink and Thank U Very Much.

McGough is probably best known today as the presenter of Poetry Please, the BBC Radio 4 programme. He also does voice overs for adverts.