LFC fans’ fury at Labour conference ‘insult’
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A Liverpool FC fan group has contacted the prime minister over plans for a broadcaster to appear at the Labour Party’s conference.
Spirit of Shankly sent the open letter to Sir Keir Starmer after it was revealed that broadcaster Iain Dale is set to hold an advertised book signing in the city.
Dale previously published a book by former South Yorkshire chief Norman Bettison about his recollections of the 1989 Hillsborough stadium tragedy.
He was also managing director of Biteback Publishing during their release of books by Kelvin MacKenzie, who smeared survivors in The Sun’s coverage.
The 63-year-old’s last planned appearance in the city in a live recording of the ‘For The Many’ podcast cancelled last year by event hosts Philharmonic Hall.
SOS chair Paul Khan has written to the PM over the ‘insult’ of Dale holding an event at Labour’s annual conference from September 28 and October 1.
In the letter, he laments the decision as ‘baffling’ in light of Dale’s past jibes about the city, describing it as ‘ghastly’ and ‘makes Gaza look welcoming’.
Mr Khan also said the move ‘merely adds to a growing sense of betrayal’ after ex-Sun editor David Dinsmore was appointed the government’s new director of communications.
SOS confirmed it has also written to all of Labour’s Merseyside MPs as well as the party’s current general secretary Hollie Ridley over the matter.
Dale told the BBC that the group’s intervention on the matter is ‘ridiculous’.
He said: “Both Keir Starmer and Merseyside Labour MPs are very happy to appear on my LBC radio show, so I can’t imagine they will have any truck with this ridiculous attempt to get me banned from the conference.”