PLANS to introduce an elected mayor for Liverpool or Merseyside were put under the microscope in a high-profile debate at the University of Liverpool last night.

Lord Adonis, the senior No 10 advisor when Tony Blair was Prime Minister, was joined by university politics professor John Tonge, elected mayor campaigner Liam Fogarty and one of the city council’s leading politicians, regeneration chief Cllr Malcolm Kennedy.

In a highly-charged and partisan debate played out to more than 100 people in the university’s Victoria Building, each argued their view on whether an elected mayor – who would hold all the powers of a council leader and chief executive combined – would increase democratic accountability and create a more inspired and inspirational style of leadership for Liverpool.

Lord Adonis argued an elected mayor was an opportunity to create a city leader who would be recognised on the national stage.

But Professor Tonge said pandering to celebrity and “personality politics” was no assurance of effective local government.

Lord Adonis said: “On balance, I think the argument for having elected mayors is strong.

“There are three key issues – democracy, power and influence. At the moment, local government is headed by people mostly no-one has heard of outside of the electoral areas themselves.

“Ask most people the names of three leaders of the main cities and most people cannot.”