'Call me Ken Dodd' says council leader after debate whether Scouse funnyman is hero or villain

The merits or draw-backs of 20th Century funnyman Ken Dodd sparked a spat between the leaders of the Conservative and Labour groups and the Mayor.

Wolverhampton Council leader Stephen Simkins gave his monthly report to full council in Wolverhampton Council chamber, which including glowing reports about the city's performance.

However, when responding the Conservative leader Councillor Wendy Thompson said: "I've always thought the leader was the funniest stand up comedian since Ken Dodd."

This drew an angry response from chair of the meeting, mayor councillor Dr Mike Hardacre, who hails from the North.

He said: "I do not think it is becoming for a member to compare another member to a tax-evading Liverpudlian comedian like Ken Dodd."

Tettenhall Wightwick Councillor Thompson protested, claiming 'Ken Dodd was not a criticism: "I like Ken Dodd."

To which the Mayor replied: "Now is not the time to perform a slight of hand with your tongue."

However, when Councillor Simkins was given the floor again, he disagreed with his fellow Labour colleague in Mayoral chain, who maybe let his Lancashire roots colour his view of the King of the Diddy Men who hailed from rival city Liverpool.

He said: "I love Ken Dodd, he was a massive fan of this city and came here to entertain our residents over and over again. And people loved him.

"I would have loved to hear what he would have said about the refurbished halls which he performed in so often. He would have been in his element in the brand new halls, which if the Tories had their way would have laid empty."

He added: "I went to the halls to see Liam Gallagher and John Squire and they said 'what a great place, what took you so long' and then on Saturday seeing the Stranglers who also said 'what a place'.

"And seeing the audience packed in like sardines all having a great night was great too see."

Ken Dodd performed hundreds of times in the Black Country often keeping his laughing audience in their seats for hours.

A lover of cash in hand bookings Ken Dodd was charged with swindling the taxman of £1 million but was found not guilty in 1989 in one of the most high profile trials in UK history.

After the Ken Dodd discussion, councillors went on to debate political matters of the day for the next three and a half hours, often punctuated with the Mayor telling errant members to "shut up".