Former Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson and ex-deputy council leader Derek Hatton are among 12 individuals facing criminal charges as part of a long-running corruption probe into Liverpool City Council.
Merseyside Police confirmed on Friday that Anderson, 67, has been charged with bribery, misconduct in public office, and conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.
Anderson, who was first arrested in December 2020, served as Liverpool’s first directly elected Labour mayor from 2012 to 2021.
Hatton, 77, a controversial figure from Labour’s militant wing in the 1980s, has been charged with bribery and one count of procuring misconduct in a public office.
The charges stem from Operation Aloft, an extensive police investigation launched to examine the awarding of commercial and business contracts by Liverpool City Council between 2010 and 2020. The inquiry has led to multiple arrests and scrutiny over governance within the council.
Among those also facing charges are:
David Anderson, 37, of Wavertree – conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office.
Andrew Barr, 51, former assistant director at Liverpool City Council – bribery and conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.
Nicholas Kavanagh, 56, former director at Liverpool City Council – two counts of bribery.
Phillipa Cook, 49, of Mossley Hill – two counts of bribery.
Alex Croft, 29, of Aughton, Lancashire – bribery.
Julian Flanagan, 53, of Crosby – conspiracy to commit bribery.
Paul Flanagan, 61, of Knowsley Village – conspiracy to commit bribery.
Sonjia Hatton, 49, of Aigburth – misconduct in public office.
Adam McLean, 54, of Woolton – conspiracy to commit bribery.
James Shalliker, 38, of Downholland, Lancashire – conspiracy to commit bribery.
All 12 individuals are due to appear at Preston Magistrates’ Court on 28 March.
Joe Anderson, once a key figure in Liverpool’s local government, was suspended by the Labour Party following his initial arrest in 2020 and did not seek re-election in 2021.
Derek Hatton, known for his radical left-wing stance, was a leading figure in the Militant Tendency, a Trotskyist faction that gained influence within Labour during the 1970s and 1980s.
Under his leadership, Liverpool City Council infamously set an illegal budget in 1985 in defiance of Margaret Thatcher’s government. He was expelled from Labour in 1986 during a purge of hard-left elements under Neil Kinnock.
Robin Weyell, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor, confirmed that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had reviewed the evidence provided by Merseyside Police and authorised charges for all 12 individuals.
He added that criminal proceedings are now active and “it is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings”.
Merseyside Police continues to investigate the matter, with the scandal further highlighting concerns over corruption in local government.
