Bradford's Capital of Culture bid is taking over Parliament.

Just weeks after the Bradford 2008 team took over an entire floor of a top London hotel, it is planning to set up camp at Westminster.

An exhibition on Bradford and its bid will go on display in the House of Commons for a week from the end of November - around the time when the shortlist of bidding cities is expected to be drawn up.

There will also be a reception for MPs, who will be consulted by Culture Minister Tessa Jowell on the 2008 shortlist.

"The idea is to bring Bradford to London, just as we did with our Bradford Embassy," said Bradford's bid director Paul Brookes.

"The embassy was a great success and hit national and international headlines. Now we're bringing the bid to the attention of MPs."

The exhibition will be a version of The Hub, which is running at Bradford Tourist Information Centre in Centenary Square.

The display, in the Upper Gallery of the Commons, will feature information about Bradford's culture bid, photographs and a film of Bradford scenes and people, and even a section devoted to pop star Gareth Gates.

Today Bradford 2008 members were due in London for a reception at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport offices, attended by Tessa Jowell. Representatives of other bidding cities were also attending. The event was to thank the cities for their bids.

And later this month Bradford is inviting all 11 other bidding cities to Glasgow for a get-together before the shortlist is announced. The event has been organised by Bradford 2008 and the Glasgow Tourist Board. "We decided to meet in Glasgow because it's neutral territory, and because it was City of Culture 1990," said Mr Brookes.

"We'll be learning about Glasgow's bid and also sharing experiences of bidding for the 2008 title.

"By that stage there will be nothing more we can do in terms of bidding for the title, so we thought it would be nice to meet up."

l Bradford poets taking part in a "slam poetry" event organised by Bristol's Capital of Culture team were brave losers in the lyrical showdown. Retired fireman Kevin Flaherty and mum-of-five Patricia Dillon failed to get beyond the first round of the contest, held in Bristol, which saw some of the UK's best slam poets battling it out. The pair had recently taken up the art form, which is a cross between poetry, comedy and rap. Grandfather Kevin, 54, of Queensbury, said: "It was a really tough competition and we were up against some excellent performers.