Jamie Carragher has hit out at Sir Keir Starmer after he announced Labour will be backing the government’s plans to take over the day-to-day running of Liverpool.
Robert Jenrick, the communities secretary, will reportedly announce today whether government commissioners will be sent in to run the city, after receiving a report from inspectors about whether the council has provided value for the taxpayer.
The report was commissioned after Joe Anderson, 63, Liverpool’s mayor, was arrested in December on suspicion of conspiracy to commit bribery and witness intimidation.
But many people are unhappy with Sir Keir’s willingness to go along with the Tory takeover.
Councillor Richard Kemp, leader of the Liberal Democrats on the council, pointed out the irony of the Conservatives running Liverpool remotely 25 years after the last Tory left the council, a point reemphasised by Owen Jones:
Thelma Walker expressed disappointment that the unpopular Robert Jenrick has been allowed to take charge, while Lauren Rose commented:
“So if the Government is going to take over Liverpool due to corruption, who is going to take over Westminster?”
Former Liverpool FC defender Jamie Carragher also hit out at Starmer for “taking Liverpool for granted” because it is a “guaranteed vote for you every election”.
Others have pointed to the strange handling of Ann Rothery, a socialist candidate seen as the natural replacement for Anderson who was shunned by Labour earlier this month.
