Politics is in the blood of Harry Steer, who was yesterday sworn in as Mayor of Brighton and Hove.

His father was a well-known left-wing activist in Brighton who helped house homeless people after the war.

His stepmother, Helen, was a councillor and so was his son, Francis.

But Harry was there before them and he is still there today.

Born in Brighton 69 years ago, Harry moved around a lot as a child, partly because of the war.

He went to Hurstpierpoint College and Oxford where he took a degree in politics, philosophy and economics before doing National Service.

After taking commercial jobs in the city, which he did not enjoy much, Harry took up teaching.

He went to Portslade Secondary Modern School for Boys which soon became part of the first community college in the county.

There he stayed, thoroughly enjoying himself as a year head, until his retirement five years ago.

For good measure, he also taught at night school and taught English to foreign students.

Because of his parents' political activity, Harry knew most of the celebrated Labour lions of the post-war years such as Stanley Deason, Bert Briggs and Dennis Hobden.

It was Councillor Hobden who persuaded him to enter politics.

After helping to energise the moribund King's Cliff ward, Harry joined the old Brighton Council as a councillor for the safe Elm Grove seat.

He helped Hobden secure his victory by just seven votes in Kemp Town to become the first-ever Labour MP in Sussex.

Helen Steer followed him on the council and stayed when pressure of work made Harry give up council work for many years to concentrate on teaching.

A good ward councillor, she was even better known in Brighton and Hove through raising thousands of pounds for the charity, Cancer Care.

Harry concentrated his energies on Portslade Community College and said: "There is a really good spirit within the place."

But when he retired he was able to resume his political career and was elected for North Portslade on the new Brighton and Hove Council.

In the meantime his son, Francis, had created a little bit of local history by becoming the youngest member of Hove Council.

Harry keeps up the education connection by being vice-chairman of a scrutiny board on culture and lifelong learning.

He also chairs the governors at two schools, Mile Oak primary and Portslade infants.

His one regret as a councillor is that he was never allowed to join the old Brighton Council education committee.

He said ruefully: "The town clerk, Bill Dodd, said I knew far too much about education."

The next year promises to be exciting for the new mayor.

In the autumn he will host receptions for guests at the Labour Party conference.

He also hopes to go on an international gathering of United Nations peace messenger cities in Japan.

Brighton and Hove is one of them.

Harry also hopes to raise thousands of pounds for charity along with his wife Jean, who will be the mayoress.

One of those charities will be for Alzheimer's disease which afflicted his stepmother in the last years of her life.

It will make a change for him to ride around in the civic limousine because normally Harry travels everywhere by bus.

He is keen on music and sings in a choir, although he will have to miss a few concerts as mayor.

He is also on the board of Brighton Philharmonic Society and serves on the Brighton and Hove Music Trust.

He said: "When they told me I was going to be mayor I was gobsmacked. But I shall do my best for all the people of Brighton, Hove and Portslade."

Harry is keen to promote Brighton and Hove as a great city around the world as he has an international outlook.

But he is also keen to unite Brighton, Hove and Portslade as one city but respect its many separate communities.

He said: "I am well qualified to do this. I have lived and worked in Brighton, Hove and Portslade."

Many of his family were at the ceremony which brought back memories of his father who would have enjoyed it.

He said: "He would have made an appalling councillor.

"He could never have stood the discipline. But I am glad that someone from the Steer family has become mayor.

"We are the last of the political families of Brighton and Hove such as the Hamiltons, the Theobalds, the Sheldons and the Fitches, to have had this honour."