Liverpool mayor among five men arrested in UK

The mayor of the English city of Liverpool is reportedly among five men arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit bribery and witness intimidation offences.

Merseyside Police said detectives made the arrests on Friday as part of an ongoing investigation.

"Those arrested have been taken to police stations across Merseyside where they will be questioned by detectives," added a statement from the force.

It is also understood Mayor Joe Anderson has been administratively suspended from his Labour Party.

Mr Anderson has been at the forefront of Liverpool's response to the coronavirus pandemic, with the government having held the city up as an example of how areas can emerge from the toughest level of its tiered restrictions.

Liverpool was in Tier 3 before November's lockdown but is now in Tier 2 after the stricter measures and the rollout of mass testing helped numbers get back under control.

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