We continue to introduce our readers to Liverpool’s politicians. Today, we’ll be discussing the life story and political career development of Derek Hatton, who is not only a British politician but also a television presenter and businessman. He was a member of the Labour Party, so you’ll also learn more about this political force. Read more on the pages of liverpoolyes.com.
What We Know About the Politician
The future politician was born in the city of Liverpool in 1948. Our local man received his education at the Liverpool Institute for Boys.
After leaving school, Derek started working as a firefighter. He later decided to join the Labour Party, as well as a Trotskyist organisation.
In 1983, Hatton took up the position of Deputy Leader of Liverpool City Council. It’s worth noting that our fellow Liverpudlian was the most outspoken and prominent member of the Labour Party.
During his political career, there were a few controversial situations. For example, in 1985, Derek Hatton joined a rebellion against rate capping after the council refused to increase the rates. The council also set an illegal ‘deficit budget’. This meant it planned to spend £30 million more than its income. The deficit was supposed to be covered by a grant from central government. This move attracted the attention of the press and the public. Consequently, in 1986, the District Auditor found Hatton and 46 other councillors guilty of deliberate misconduct. Our local man and his colleagues were disqualified from office. Furthermore, they had to compensate the council for the costs incurred.
Derek Hatton was also expelled from the Labour Party.
In 1993, Hatton, as the former Deputy Leader of Liverpool City Council, was accused of corruption. Our local figure faced lengthy court proceedings, but was ultimately found not guilty.
From Politics to Media
Our Liverpudlian native decided to put his political activity on hold and embark on a media career. He participated in the ‘Degsy’s Debates’ project on 105.4 Century FM. This was followed by the BBC Two documentary, ‘Trouble at the Top’. In the 1990s, Hatton worked as the host of the morning phone-in programme on Talk Radio.
The politician’s television career gradually began to take off. He took part in commercial features and various chat shows.
From 1999 to 2008, he served as a director of “Rippleffect Studios Limited”.
A Return to Politics
In 2007, it became known that the politician was planning to rejoin the Labour Party. Hatton even wanted to stand for Parliament in the North West. He remarked that he was no longer a Trotskyist, but still held left-wing views. Moreover, the politician admitted that he had become a capitalist, having managed a property company in Cyprus and owning a Range Rover.
However, it seemed the party was not overly keen on Hatton. In 2015, the politician attempted to return to the Labour Party once again, but his application was rejected. Our local man was known to have been readmitted to the Labour Party in February 2019, only to be expelled just a few days later. The reason was an anti-Semitic tweet written in 2012.
Then, in 2020, information appeared in the press that Hatton had been arrested as part of an investigation into contracts related to construction and development in Liverpool. As a reminder, five people were detained at the time, including Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson.
What to Know About the UK Labour Party
The Labour Party is one of the leading political forces in the United Kingdom. It is a centre-left party that advocates for increased state control over the country’s economy. The Labour Party also stands for social justice and strengthening workers’ rights, combating unemployment, protecting the rights of minorities, and active European integration.
The history of this political force begins in the early 20th century. It all started with the organised ‘Labour Representation Committee’ in 1900. Six years later, the name was changed to the ‘Labour Party’. In 1918, the Labour Party Constitution was adopted. By the 1920s, the Labour Party had become the main rival to the Conservative Party in Great Britain.
Ramsay MacDonald became the first Labour Prime Minister in January 1924. MacDonald formed the first Labour government, though they were unable to pass any socialist legislation. They did, however, implement a programme to build 500,000 homes, which were subsequently rented to working-class families.
The Labour Party later became the largest party in the House of Commons (from 1929 to 1931).
In the 2005 general election, the Labour Party won 35.3% of the vote. Tony Blair led the political force to victory three times in a row.
That concludes the life story and political activities of Derek Hatton. We hope you found our piece insightful and that you’ve drawn your own conclusions. Which political force do you support? We look forward to your comments on social media. Your opinion matters to us.