Opinion | Liverpool fans won’t make same mistake with Boris Johnson they did with Luis Suarez
- Liverpool fans effectively validated racism with their entrenched, partisan reaction to Luis Suarez’s abuse of Patrice Evra
- The case was a symptom of a disturbing new age – and too many across the UK are repeating the process for a prime minister
Some clubs are more political than others. Some cities consider radicalism to be part of their identity. For Liverpool’s core support on Merseyside, the team is a flag bearer for the community and a symbol of strength for a region that has often been economically and philosophically on the margins of British society.
Bill Shankly reinvented the club in the 1960s and the ethos he brought to Anfield extended way beyond tactics and team talks. The Scot spent some of his teenage years down a pit and brought a miner’s sensibility to soccer. “The socialism I believe in is everyone working for each other, everyone having a share of the rewards,” he said. “It’s the way I see football, the way I see life.”
That statement – and Shankly’s personality – coloured how supporters perceived the team. Jurgen Klopp’s personal beliefs echo his predecessor’s ideology. It is part of the German’s appeal. The Kop thrives on a shared sense of purpose. You don’t have to be left-wing to be a Liverpool fan but it helps.
Off-the-pitch activism has generated as much pride as the team’s trophy haul. The 30-year campaign for justice over Hillsborough is the most obvious and important example. The Spirit of Shankly supporters’ union were instrumental in the battle against carpet-bagging owners a decade ago and continue to do fine work in conjunction with fans from other clubs to fight for fair conditions for matchgoers.
So when Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Conservative cabinet minster and new Leader of the House of Commons, posted a picture of his family on social media this week, it caused consternation for Kopites and hilarity for rival fans.
