Writers and bloggers from the regional press have figured prominently in an annual poll of the top media blogs about politics.

Readers of totalpolitics.com and Iain Dale’s Diary voted in their thousands to draw up the Top 40.

One of the big success stories was Joe Watts, political correspondent of the Nottingham Evening Post, whose Lobbydog blog came in 11th above such luminaries as BBC Newsnight political editor Michael Crick and The Independent on Sunday’s chief political commentator John Rentoul.

Another high achiever was David Bartlett, City editor of the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo, who only started blogging nine months ago and came in at 33rd, also beating Crick and BBC home editor Mark Easton.

David wrote on Dale Street Blues that it felt like a “monumental achievement” as the list was heavily populated by the national media.

At 20 is The Steamie, written by The Scotsman’s city editor David Maddox’s, while Manchester Evening News chief reporter David Ottewell came 26th.

David recently scooped the nation’s media with an interview with Salford MP Hazel Blears in which she apologised for the timing of her recent resignation from the Cabinet.

Footage of the interview carrying the MEN logo was used across the national media including the BBC News at Ten.

At 36 on the list is 07.25 to Paddington, written by Tomos Livingston, political editor with Trinity Mirror’s Media Wales division.

And one place below him is Torcuil Crichton, chief UK political correspondent for Glasgow daily The Herald, who blogs at Whitehall 1212.

Another journalist with regional press connections to feature on the list was Paul Linford, HoldtheFrontPage publisher and former political editor of The Journal, Newcastle.

His eponymous political blog was ranked 17th – down from 7th in last year’s list.