Tessa Buddle

The “socialist city” stuff about Liverpool has always been confused. Is there a strong left tradition? Yes, but Labour arrived later here than other Northern industrial cities, and was locked out of power by the strength of working-class Orangeism for many years. In terms of popular consciousness, Liverpool is rabidly anti-Tory - absolutely no doubt. But there’s a heavy dose of populist, anti-establishment conspiratorialism, often pushed by locally based internet mini-celebs selling CBD, and Sine Missione “cosmic scallies” talking about chemtrails and anti-vax stuff. These guys have far bigger reach than any leftwing politician. There is Tommy Robinson-type nationalism but also a more weird, inchoate, Pizzagate-adjacent, “Save our Kids”-type rage against decline and supposed tears in the social fabric. It’s definitely fertile ground for the far right, even though I’d hesitate to describe the crowds on County last night as political - that would do them too much justice. I’d say Liverpool’s “political” mindset is built on a vague anti-elitism rather than any specific socialist consciousness, and that is certainly compatible with everyday racism. Also important to note that active left politics here has always had a distinctly Old Left, workerist flavour. That’s not to say the local left/labour movement isn’t anti-racist, but it’s certainly not fully congruent with, say, the Rainbow Coalition-type politics that has come from the New Left & the tradition of the GLC etc.