Ipswich politicians are drawing up plans to launch a new bid for City Status if there is a new competition to mark next year's Coronation.

King Charles III is expected to be crowned next summer and creating new cities has become a significant way of marking royal milestones over the last 60 years.

This year's Platinum Jubilee was marked by the creation of eight new cities in the UK and Crown Dependencies - although Ipswich did not bid, largely because town MP Tom Hunt did not feel there was enough support for a change in status.

The prospect of a new race next year has prompted the leader of Ipswich Council, David Ellesmere, to write to Mr Hunt asking him for a meeting to discuss how a city bid should be mounted.

His letter says: "Nothing has been announced about whether there will be another bidding round for the King’s Coronation but there is a reasonable chance that there will be. If so, it is likely to be the last opportunity for some time for Ipswich to become a city.

"As you are aware, there are many people and organisations in Ipswich who believe that our great town deserves to be a city and, indeed, has a much better claim than many of the recent new cities."

He adds: "You have previously not supported a bid for city status which was why Ipswich did not submit a bid for the Platinum Jubilee.

"I would welcome an early conversation with you to see if your position has changed and you would now throw your support behind this great potential opportunity for Ipswich."

Mr Hunt said: "My view would be if the decision is made to go for it we need to get all our ducks in a row before we launch it because we didn’t last time. I also think this should include an evidence base that shows public support for a bid."

City bids only succeed if there is clear cross-party support. Colchester became a city this year after both current Conservative MP Will Quince and his Liberal Democrat predecessor Sir Bob Russell both supported it.

Ipswich's city bid is supported by the town's other MP Dr Dan Poulter who believes it would make it much easier to attract investment into a city.

And it has the backing of Labour parliamentary candidate Jack Abbott who said: “Ipswich has so much to be proud of and city status could provide a boost for the whole of Suffolk. It could boost our national profile, attract major projects and help create new jobs and investment."

Ipswich Central chair Terry Baxter said the organisation had always felt city status would boost the whole area and would work with any bid to try to ensure its success.