FORMER Labour mayor Joe Anderson and city politician Derek Hatton have been charged with bribery and misconduct relating to council contracts, along with 10 others.

The two were first arrested in 2020 as part of the Merseyside Police probe, Operation Aloft, into a number of property developers.

The former mayor, who was elected in 2012 having been a Labour councillor since 1998, said: “I am innocent of charges and will fight to clear my name.”

Mr Anderson, 67, was charged with with one count of bribery, one count of misconduct in a public office and one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office.

Mr Hatton, 77, with one count of bribery and one count of counsel or procure misconduct in a public office.

They, former Liverpool City Council director Nicholas Kavanagh, 56, and former assistant director at Liverpool City Council Andrew Barr, 51, and eight others will appear at Preston magistrates’ court on March 28.