Open House, with BILL JACOBS

PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice has undergone a remarkable transformation like that from a caterpillar to a butterfly.

When he entered Parliament, in 1992, he was considered a pretty dull boy. A dour Scot, with a background in left-wing Hammersmith and Fulham Council, he appeared a not very exciting machine politician.

But he was completely out of touch with the New Labour Revolution masterminded by Tony Blair. Perhaps people should have realised this was his salvation.

Indeed, maybe they should have looked at his London career which indicated he had been a director of Fulham Football Club in his local authority capacity.

Mr Prentice put his toe tentatively on the first rung of the government ladder as Parliamentary Private Secretary -- ie unpaid bag carrier -- to Cabinet Transport Minister Gavin Strang. But quit the job before his boss got sacked in Tony Blair's first reshuffle.

Since then he has gone from strength to strength. He showed an early eye for a good story when he found that a methodist church, in Barnoldswick, was being transported lock, stock and barrel to Japan so a hotel could run western-style marriage ceremonies.

And has since displayed an increasingly maverick spirit, which has delighted his colleagues and national newspapers.

His latest rebellion was over government plans to hold all postal ballots for a North West Elected Regional Assembly.

Prime Minister Tony Blair was no doubt quite relieved but Mr Prentice stood down from the Parliamentary Committee of the Labour Party when he faced weekly criticism of his policies.

The unlikely fact is that Mr Prentice has displayed not merely a rebellious streak but a dry wit and understanding of the political process that many of his colleagues lack.

The fact is that this Scot, who arrived in East Lancashire as a slightly gloomy in-comer, has become vital to both the area and Westminster.