Joe Anderson doesn’t have many defenders. But he’s got two in the House of Lords

Dear readers — come on, cram in. An incredible 113 of you have signed up as paying members already this month, many of whom joined on the back of Abi’s widely-shared two-part investigation into Big Help Project. That means we’ve now got 1,564 members in total on our paid list — and nearly 25,000 readers in total. It’s busier than a Boxpark on a sunny Saturday afternoon. And with the added advantage that you won’t end up with lager in your hair (well, it’s less likely). If you haven’t already, hit the button below.

Over the weekend we had another fantastic piece by one of our favourite freelance writers Ophira Gottlieb, all about the arrival of record store Rough Trade in Liverpool. If you missed it, give it a read here. And let us know in the comments if you picked up anything special from Dig, 81 Renshaw and the likes this Record Store Day…

On with today’s edition, which includes the unveiling of Liverpool’s flashiest new food hall and our big story: a rare defence of Joe Anderson — in the House of Lords. 

The Big Story: Joe Anderson doesn’t have many defenders. But he’s got two in the House of Lords

Top line: Since Joe Anderson’s arrest in December 2020, few have rushed to the former mayor of Liverpool’s defence. But last week he found two friends in the House of Lords. Michael Heseltine and Tony Woodley, peers from the Tories and Labour respectively, used a session to highlight Anderson’s plight. The latter called his treatment a “disgrace”.

Rewind: In December 2020, 21 police officers burst into Anderson’s house and arrested him on suspicion of bribery. He has always denied the allegations vociferously. Despite much speculation around his case, no charges have been brought and the investigation — Operation Aloft — remains ongoing. In total 13 people have been arrested under Operation Aloft.

What was said? Putting questions to Home Office minister Andrew Sharpe in the House of Lords, Heseltine and Woodley both questioned whether it was fair that Anderson should be left in limbo for so long, unsure whether he will ever have to face trial over the allegations. 

Woodley called the situation a “disgrace”, saying Anderson’s life had been “completely and totally destroyed”. Heseltine said this:

“The mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, was arrested on various charges, including fraud and bribery. That was three years and four months ago. He lost his job, his reputation and his income. No charge has been placed since then. I would just like to ask the minister: does he think that’s justice?”

The Independent has reported that the “release under investigation” (RUI) tool — which was introduced in 2017 “to allow police to release suspects after their post-arrest interview” — left over 30,000 people waiting longer than a year to find out whether they would be charged. With bail, extensions beyond nine months need the approval of a magistrate, but with RUI cases can be left open indefinitely. Only a fifth of RUIs end in a criminal trial.

Sharpe refused to be drawn on speaking about the case in detail. He simply said that police were working to complete the investigation “as expeditiously as possible”.

Anderson himself told the BBC he had been “humbled” by Heseltine’s comments and had become a “recluse” since the arrest. In January last year, we interviewed Anderson about many of the allegations levelled at him.

• Asked about the allegations that certain developers, most notably the Flanagans, were given council contracts due to their close personal relationships with Anderson, he strongly denied them. “If I had my time again I’d probably keep more of a distance, yeah, but hindsight is a wonderful thing,” he told us.
• We also asked about the allegations that his son David’s firm was subcontracted to work on the demolition of the Churchill Flyovers on the “direct instruction” of council officials, despite having no experience doing this kind of work. “I regret how it looks, but I didn’t even know about it,” he told us.

Bottom line: Whatever opinions people hold of Anderson, the continued lack of clarity on his situation, now more than three years on from his arrest, does no one any favours. As Michael Parkinson, the regeneration expert who has written multiple books about Liverpool, told us last year: “Nobody knows exactly what’s involved and for the sake of the city people need to know what the story is”. 

Your Post briefing

Boxpark Liverpool has landed. The chain, known for its three London venues, has opened in the Baltic, prompting mixed feelings (to be kind). “Read this and already felt the ale getting lashed over me,” was one response to the Echo’s coverage. “The worst invention ever?” another asked. This is how it looks. We’ll be heading along to Boxpark soon to scope things out, but we’re keen to hear your thoughts first. Is this the final death knell of the Baltic? Or are you excited for your baptism of Budweiser? Email editor@livpost.co.uk. 

Ex-footballer Joey Barton says he has been visited multiple times by police officers seeking to speak to him about comments posted online. Cheshire Police said they had received "reports of offences under the Communications Act”, following a series of tweets criticising female football pundits (including calling commentators Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward “the Fred and Rose West of football commentary”). Barton claimed two officers knocked on Thursday evening “when [his] kids were in bed,” but that he had “no clue” which posts were being looked into. 

And some great news as LS Lowry iconic Going to the Match has been put on display at the Williamson Art Gallery in Birkenhead. The painting was produced by the Stretford-born artist in 1953, and depicts a group of fans walking towards Burnden Park stadium — the then home of Bolton Wanderers Football Club. It was last sold at auction for nearly £8 million in 2022, with it described by the Williamson gallery as celebrating a “quintessentially Northern experience”. 

Post Picks

✍️ Arts Bar Baltic hosts a poetry and music night on Thursday, with a chance to step up to the mic and test out new material for an always welcoming audience. It runs from 6pm to 11pm with limited spaces for artists — sign up here. 

👗 On Friday, the Unitarian Church on Ullet Road presents a fashion show in aid of the Al-Sabeen Children's Hospital in Yemen and Medical Aid for Palestinians. Attendees will get to watch the show, before getting a chance to purchase some of their favourite items from the runway. Find out more here. 

🍔 Liverpool’s new food hall Boxpark is hosting a supper club this Friday, presented by The Masked Singer host Joel Dommett. Canapes will be provided by Crazy Pedros with a selection of other dishes on offer from Boxpark’s latest vendors. Find out more here. 

🎸 Folk rock singer-songwriter Newton Faulkner heads to Hangar 34 on Saturday in the Liverpool leg of his new tour, Feels Like Home 2. Doors open at 7pm with a special ticket bundle available for anyone wanting to take a guitar workshop with the man himself. Find out more here. 

Home of the week

This six bedroom house in Old Swan is on the market for just £275,000. The home spans over three floors, with the top floor acting as a master bedroom. There’s also space for two reception rooms, and a small garden out back. Take a tour here.

Recommended reads

This portrait of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in The Spectator reminds us just how hard the orchestra has battled for its existence over its near two century-long tenure. “The RLPO…has taken on everyone from gang leaders to Derek Hatton in its fight to survive,” author Richard Bratby writes.  

Travel writer Gemma Tipton journeys through Liverpool’s music history in this piece for The Irish Times. “No one could accuse Liverpool of being unsung. Music echoes through the streets and haunts the docks.”