In August 2014 Cllr Janke was named as one of six new Liberal Democrat working peers.

[3] She first became active in politics while in Scotland, before becoming a councillor and then deputy Leader in Kingston upon Thames Council in the early '90s.

She succeeded Stephen Williams as leader of the Liberal Democrat group in 1997.

This arrangement collapsed in late 2004 when the Labour group withdrew and took minority control as the largest party.

In February 2009, she returned to the position of leader of Bristol City Council, following the resignation of the Labour cabinet.