Joe Anderson: Liverpool mayor in police probe will not seek re-election

Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson says he will not fight for re-election in May due to an ongoing bribery and witness intimidation investigation.

Mr Anderson, 62, made the announcement after Merseyside Police said he had been rebailed until February following his arrest earlier this month.

He tweeted he was "disappointed" with the police decision as he had "provided all of the information they asked for".

He said it was in the Labour Party's best interests to pick a new candidate.

Mr Anderson was arrested on 4 December, along with four other men, on suspicion of conspiracy to commit bribery and witness intimidation.

The year-long investigation, Operation Aloft, has focused on a number of building and development contracts in Liverpool.

Following his arrest, Mr Anderson said he was "stepping away from decision-making" and would take unpaid leave while the police investigation continued.

The Labour Party also suspended Mr Anderson pending its outcome.

Mr Anderson said he would "continue to fight to demonstrate that I am innocent of any wrongdoing [and] also to protect my legacy as mayor of this city of which I am proud".

He said the timing of the police investigation meant "it would be in the best interests of the Labour Party to select a new candidate for the mayoral election".

Mr Anderson also wrote: "I have dedicated my life to this city with loyalty and passion and I am not prepared to throw that away."

Richard Kemp, leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition on Liverpool City Council, called on Mr Anderson to immediately resign from the local authority.

Mr Kemp said his Labour opponent was a "lame duck mayor" who was "preventing the city from moving on".

Mr Anderson said he hoped the police investigation would be completed "long before" the expiry of his term of office.

He said it would confirm he had "done nothing wrong" and his name and reputation "will be exonerated".

"I have never done anything that would harm this city," he said.

Earlier, Merseyside Police said five men had been rebailed until 19 February.

The Labour Party has been contacted by the BBC for a comment.

A councillor since 1998, Mr Anderson became Liverpool's first directly elected mayor in 2012 and earned a second term in 2016.

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