HOME Secretary Jack Straw today threw his weight behind Blackburn with Darwen Council's City Status bid and pledged to do all he could to help.

Council bosses, who believe the town is well-placed to scoop the honour this time around, are hoping the Blackburn MP's support could make all the difference.

Plans were unveiled during the town's 150th birthday to fight for the City Status which will be bestowed on one English town by the Queen to mark her Golden Jubilee.

Blackburn lost out in the last round of honours which marked the Millennium to Brighton and Hove, Inverness and Wolverhampton.

But Blackburn with Darwen Council leader Bill Taylor said he believed a change in the criteria for this year's contest could help Blackburn.

The rules stipulate a town with cultural and historical importance would be preferable.

The town will also benefit from Mr Straw's support this time. In 2000, his Home Office department was running the competition so he took a back seat in the interests of fairness.

Now the competition is the responsibility of the Lord Chancellor and Mr Straw is the Foreign Secretary, giving Blackburn a welcome added boost.

Mr Straw said: "I am delighted that Blackburn is applying. It is a real relief to be able to actively support the town's application.

"As Home Secretary I was in a double bind in that I couldn't campaign but I also had nothing to do with the decision itself. "I shall do everything I can to ensure Blackburn gets the city status it so richly deserves. Now I am free to do this."

Some 24 English towns, including Blackburn, have been asked to bid, along with six Welsh, three Scottish and two Northern Irish towns.

The Queen has asked for one from each country to be chosen, opening up a wealth of business, tourism and grant aid possibilities..

With its Industrial Revolution past and mixed ethnic population, Coun Taylor believes Blackburn is in with a shout.

He said: "We hoped Jack Straw would be able to work with us this time.

"Because of his role in the Home Office last time, he had to take a back seat."