A community leader has accused a campaign group of using his name while he was still recovering from a serious illness.
Tony McGann, 84, lifetime president of the Eldonian Housing Association, has accused the Save Our City campaign of "exploiting" the fact that he was incapacitated to suggest that he had supported their campaign.
Save Our City emerged last year when they accused Liverpool Council of not giving enough work to local firms.
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Save Our City said the percentage rate for contracts awarded to Liverpool businesses should be 80% - almost double the actual figure for 2020.
The group released a number of press releases last year when they highlighted this issue. A spokesperson for the group told the ECHO that they had the support of several individuals including Anthony McGann.
Mr McGann told the ECHO that this was a clear reference to him.
He said: "Everyone in Liverpool knew they were talking about me. I was incapacitated for much of last year and was not in a position to challenge them at the time.
"If they had asked it would have been a firm no from me."
The ECHO has attempted to contact Save Our City for comment on this story.
Mr McGann said: "I think I have a good idea who is really behind this organisation. They are no friends of mine.
"But I am feeling stronger everyday and feel able to speak out on this subject now. "
One of the press releases sent to the ECHO by Save Our City criticised senior council officers for not awarding enough work to local firms.
The release quoted an anonymous 'council insider' who said "At a time when Liverpool's economy is potentially at its most fragile, it seems that some very senior city council officers are almost committed to making the state of affairs even worse. "
The anonymous person then called on an "independent inquiry" into the matter.
Councillor Richard Kemp, leader of Liverpool's Liberal Democrats, said: "I had never heard of the people behind this campaign. There have been a number of issues with the buy local campaign, as identified by government inspector Max Caller.
"The collapse of King Construction is a good example of where things can go wrong. "
"Social Value is about much more than local companies although many have portrayed it just as a local labour issue.
"Social value looks at who is being employed and how they are being employed in addition to where they and the company are from.
"Social value looks at other ethical considerations like environmental, taxation and governance issues."
Last year a council spokesman said that 43% of city council contracts have been awarded to Liverpool businesses. The spokesman added that council contracts employed hundreds of local people.
Mr McGann was at the centre of a major controversy earlier this year when he claimed there was an attempt to install a senior Liverpool council officer as the Eldonian's new chief executive.
He said: "Yes I stopped that from happening and following recent actions by the council I now feel vindicated."
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