Liverpool Mayor Arrested

[Sheilbh]

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson arrested along with four others in police probe
City leader one of five men arrested as part of an investigation into building and development contracts in Liverpool
By Ben Turner-LEBreaking News Editor
Liam Thorp
    16:47, 4 DEC 2020



The elected Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, has been arrested.

The city leader was arrested earlier today by Merseyside Police along with four other men in connection with offences of bribery and witness intimidation as part of an investigation into building and development contracts in Liverpool.

Detectives made arrests at addresses throughout the city as well as Ormskirk and Southport.

The arrests are part of "an ongoing investigation", police said today.

Confirming the details of the arrests police said the following five people had been arrested:
A 72-year-old man, from Aigburth, has been arrested on suspicion of witness intimidation.
A 62-year-old man, from Old Swan has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit bribery and witness intimidation.
A 33-year-old man, from West Derby, has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit bribery and witness intimidation.
A 46-year-old man, from Ainsdale, has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit bribery and witness intimidation.
A 25-year-old man, from, Ormskirk, has been arrested on suspicion of witness intimidation.

The ECHO understands that the 62-year-old man arrested is the directly elected Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson.

The Labour Party politician has led the city since 2010 and has been Mayor since 2012.

Last year he secured the Labour Party selection to run to be Mayor of the city for a third term at May's delayed elections.

A Liverpool City Council spokesperson said: "Liverpool City Council is co-operating with Merseyside Police in relation to its ongoing investigation. We do not comment on matters relating to individuals."

I have a soft spot for Joe Anderson - but don't feel entirely surprised, especially because he looks to me like a big city boss should (with all those connotations ). There was a senior planning executive who was fired from the Council because he was being investigated by the police a while ago and I've expected the other shoe to drop on this - though I don't know if they're related.

But that investigation was in the "New Chinatown Development Project" which sounds like the name of something in a TV series about crooked politicians

This sort of strengthens my sense that if you really wanted to be a corrupt politician in the UK you'd get into local government: control over planning and development decisions plus a generally very weak (and declining) local media.

Edit: Also this means I've lived in two areas where the local mayor's been arrested

[Richard Hakluyt]

Weak opposition in Liverpool too, one of the rare places where a few more tories might actually be useful.

[Duque de Bragança]

Edit: Also this means I've lived in two areas where the local mayor's been arrested

So, where do you live now by the way? 

[Sheilbh]

So, where do you live now by the way? 

We've got a mayor of London, but he's not got much power. My borough doesn't have a local mayor - but does actually have a tonne of development scandals

Weak opposition in Liverpool too, one of the rare places where a few more tories might actually be useful.

It blows my mind that Liverpool local government swung between Labour/Liberals and Tories until the 80s. I think it sort of reflected Catholic Irish v Protestant Lancastrian communities. But my mum and dad always saying how big a deal it was when Shirley Williams won the Crosby by-election because that area was true blue. I know it's a little outside Liverpool but the idea of a true blue bit of Merseyside is just odd to me

I just checked and Labour have 72 of the 90 seats on the City Council, there are then 10 Lib Dems, 4 Greens, 3 Liberals and an independent in opposition - before the coalition the Lib Dems used to do well and occasionally won the council in the Charles Kennedy years when they were a sort of left opposition to Blair. But that is probably a little too one party state to be healthy.

Edit: Incidentally - and this is just gossip - but Derek Hatton is 72 years old. He also made the natural leap from Trotskyist council (deputy) leader to property developer. Despite being very politically different from Big Joe, they are pretty close apparently

Maybe get Robert Lindsay out for GBH 2

Edit: Also the investigation apparently relates to developments by the Eliot Group, founded by Eliot Lawless

[Sheilbh]

It's confirmed that Derek Hatton is the 72 year old man who's been arrested for witness intimidation

For background Hatton was the leader of Militant tendency (an entryist Trotskyist group) when they run Liverpool. Technically he was only deputy leader, the actual leader was a broadly popular, very benign and slightly other-worldly elderly Labour councillor, but Hatton and Militant run the show. It was hugely divisive - they were taken on by Kinnock in his famous speech at Labour conference. My mum and dad still have stories of sitting in their living room cheering Kinnock on, and similarly they have family friends who were very strong Militant supporters. Needless to say, they just don't talk politics (though they're all on the left)

Hatton himself was very divisive - from an anti-Militant demonstration:


His nickname is still the Gobfather so witness intimidation is not a wildly surprising accusation. After being kicked out of Labour and local government he moved into property development in Liverpool and Cyprus. He's still a feature about town where he drives a few Land Rovers with licence plates like "DEGSY 1" etc - very perma-tanned and looking very well for a man in his 70s.

It's pretty huge news to have him arrested, especially alongside the current mayor

[Richard Hakluyt]

This is all very nostalgic; also a very typical Labour party story, which reminds me of why I only rarely vote for them.

[Sheilbh]

This is all very nostalgic; also a very typical Labour party story, which reminds me of why I only rarely vote for them.

Further chaos, in-fighting and probably involvement from London in another very Labour party story.

They had narrowed down their choice to run for Mayor to a shortlist of three - the Acting Mayor, the Lady Mayor and the former Deputy Mayor. All was going fine until today when it was announced that Labour were suspending the process. They were going to re-open for nominations and the three shortlisted candidates would not be considered, so are barred from applying.

All of which leaves a lot of questions in the air - there's been no explanation of why the process was stopped, why they're re-opening nominations or why they're blocking the three shortlisted candidates from trying again. It's very mysterious at this stage. The Greens and Lib Dems are rubbing their hands - the left candidate (the Lady Mayor) has said she'll take legal action and I think could, possibly, run as an independent.

[Josquius]

Does the Liverpool mayoral election run democratically or is it FPTP?

This is all very nostalgic; also a very typical Labour party story, which reminds me of why I only rarely vote for them.

The Tories have the good sense to keep their corruption well hidden.
The Lib Dems I assume have tried being corrupt to get some attention but nobody was interested.

[Sheilbh]

Does the Liverpool mayoral election run democratically or is it FPTP?

It's like the London system. You have two votes. If a candidate doesn't get 50%+1 in the first round then all but the top two candidates are eliminated and second votes distributed.

Being Liverpool, it's never gone to the second round

The Lib Dems I assume have tried being corrupt to get some attention but nobody was interested.

Weirdly the Lib Dems used to run Liverpool City Council in the early 2000s until 2010. I don't think they were an awful council - Lib Dems tend to be very good at local retail politics. In most of the county they're riddled with NIMBYism but in Liverpool almost everyone is pro development and pro building so I don't think they were afflicted with that issue.

Although it's not that surprising - the country elects Tories, Liverpool goes Labour; the country elects Labour, Liverpool goes Lib Dem. I fully expect Liverpool to go hard-core Green when Labour next win an election

One slightly weird quirk of Liverpool is that there is one ward in East Liverpool that still regularly elects Liberal Party councillors - all three councillors from the ward are Liberals at the minute. Liverpool is, I think, the last stronghold where the Liberals still routinely win any elections

Edit: In other Liverpool news - new Everton stadium granted planning permission (It now goes to the Secretary of State )

[celedhring]

IF this is the official Liverpool city council megathread, I will just add this:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-56153720

Liverpool councillor defends decision to live in Spain

A councillor has defended his decision to live abroad despite being elected to represent a ward in Liverpool.

Malcolm Kennedy said he was unable to return from Spain in March 2020 after the country was placed in lockdown and his flight was cancelled due to Covid.

The Labour councillor said he had fulfilled all his responsibilities as council meetings have been held online during the pandemic.

Liverpool City Council confirmed he has not broken any rules.

In a series of tweets, Mr Kennedy, who represents the Kirkdale ward, said he has previously split his time between Spain and the UK with his primary address being in Liverpool since 2001.

In March last year, he travelled to Spain to celebrate his wife's son's birthday with plans to return later in the month.

As "the Covid crisis deepened", Mr Kennedy said he chose to remain abroad to be with his wife who lives in the country.

He came back to the UK briefly in October but returned to spend Christmas in Spain which he said he has done regularly since 2001.

He added "no secret has been made of the situation," and he will continue responding to mail, attending meetings and responding to phone calls.

The Labour councillor confirmed he will not seek re-election in 2022.

A spokesperson for Liverpool City Council said: "Cllr Kennedy satisfied eligibility criteria on being nominated to stand for election.

"It is down to individual elected members how they discharge their role and Cllr Kennedy has been attending virtual committee meetings and responding to queries from residents in his ward."

[Sheilbh]

He's on the planning committee so voted on the stadium (which involves his area of Liverpool). And in fairness he seems to attend most meetings (which are all by Zoom) and have surgeries so he is still working. But yeah it does feel like you should be living in the same country as your constituents....

[Josquius]

He could defend himself by saying he is following corona advice to the max and completely distancing himself from direct interaction? :p

[Gups]

Edit: Incidentally - and this is just gossip - but Derek Hatton is 72 years old. He also made the natural leap from Trotskyist council (deputy) leader to property developer. Despite being very politically different from Big Joe, they are pretty close apparently

Both are bluenoses.

Early in my career I spent ages organising a meeting between two feuding sets of Merseyside politicians (all Labour) relating to a porject we were working on. Loads of pre-conditions etc etc.  We were all sittin in the room waiting for the leader of one of the factions to arrive for about half an hour. He finall stalks in. Puts his face right up against the leader of the other faction and snarls "You. Yer fuckin' dead you" and walks out. Meeting over.

[Duque de Bragança]

IF this is the official Liverpool city council megathread, I will just add this:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-56153720

Liverpool councillor defends decision to live in Spain

A councillor has defended his decision to live abroad despite being elected to represent a ward in Liverpool.

Malcolm Kennedy said he was unable to return from Spain in March 2020 after the country was placed in lockdown and his flight was cancelled due to Covid.

The Labour councillor said he had fulfilled all his responsibilities as council meetings have been held online during the pandemic.

Liverpool City Council confirmed he has not broken any rules.

In a series of tweets, Mr Kennedy, who represents the Kirkdale ward, said he has previously split his time between Spain and the UK with his primary address being in Liverpool since 2001.

In March last year, he travelled to Spain to celebrate his wife's son's birthday with plans to return later in the month.

As "the Covid crisis deepened", Mr Kennedy said he chose to remain abroad to be with his wife who lives in the country.

He came back to the UK briefly in October but returned to spend Christmas in Spain which he said he has done regularly since 2001.

He added "no secret has been made of the situation," and he will continue responding to mail, attending meetings and responding to phone calls.

The Labour councillor confirmed he will not seek re-election in 2022.

A spokesperson for Liverpool City Council said: "Cllr Kennedy satisfied eligibility criteria on being nominated to stand for election.

"It is down to individual elected members how they discharge their role and Cllr Kennedy has been attending virtual committee meetings and responding to queries from residents in his ward."

Reminds me of a PS MP in Portugal for Lisbon who lived in Paris, and wanted her weekly plane travel expenses (business class) to be payed by the Portuguese taxpayer. Centre-right PSD complained and she called that demagoguery but ended up paying the bill herself.
I would have granted her magnanimously a weekly Eurolines allowance (by coach for those who don't know).
Inês de Medeiros, sister of Maria de Medeiros.

https://www.publico.pt/2010/04/23/jornal/viagens-de-ines-de-medeiros-custam-ate-2500-euros-por-mes-19254273

[Sheilbh]

Both are bluenoses.

Early in my career I spent ages organising a meeting between two feuding sets of Merseyside politicians (all Labour) relating to a porject we were working on. Loads of pre-conditions etc etc.  We were all sittin in the room waiting for the leader of one of the factions to arrive for about half an hour. He finall stalks in. Puts his face right up against the leader of the other faction and snarls "You. Yer fuckin' dead you" and walks out. Meeting over.

That's amazing.

So Labour have chosen their two candidate shortlist. Still no explanation of the issues they had with the previous three candidates - but the rumours are that it was either that they were too connected to Unite union or to the former mayor. But the Labour group are apparently not particularly happy - talk of the Labour group in Liverpool having a vote of no confidence in the Labour Party Alternately they may endorse Stephen Yip who is running as an independent (he's a prominent charity founder/worker in the city).

Things are not going well. I wouldn't be surprised if the Greens emerge as a force in Liverpool in the next few years because there'll be lots of people looking for an opposition to the Labour party as well as the government - in the 2000s it was the Lib Dems but I think they've burned their bridges in Liverpool through the coalition.