One of the Deputy Mayors of Liverpool has defended his involvement in trade delegations to China and Hong Kong.
Councillor Gary Millar, who also acts as the council's mayoral lead on business and international development, made a number of long haul trips to Asia through his role as Mayoral Lead for Business and International Trade.
Some of the trips have come under scrutiny in recent years following the collapse of a small number of property schemes promoted by the government as part of the Northern Powerhouse initiative .
Cllr Millar told the ECHO he was not part of the Northern Powerhouse delegation to China in 2015. He did however attend one event in Hong Kong on October 31, 2015 when he posed for a photograph with Liverpool businessman Peter McInnes. Mr McInnes was in Hong Kong promoting the New Chinatown venture which later collapsed.
He stressed that his role during the trade delegations was purely diplomatic , and that it was never his job to promote specific property schemes.
The New Chinatown scheme (Chinatown Development Company) is now subject to an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office. Investors in the original scheme are owed around £6m.
A Freedom of Information Request submitted to Liverpool Council by a third party and seen by the ECHO confirmed Cllr Millar's trips to China and Hong Kong between 2014 and 2017 cost the local authority around £12,000.
The response, which lists seven trips, also provides details of the hotels Cllr Millar stayed at during the delegations. Other delegates representing the city were also on the trade trips.
Cllr Millar spoke to the ECHO about his trips in his capacity as Mayoral Lead for Business and as Deputy Mayor.
Cllr Millar explained that he agreed at short notice to attend one press event in Hong Kong on October 31 2015. He said that when he arrived at the event he was introduced to a number of people at very short notice including Peter McInnes.
He said: "During only one of these trips I was asked to make a quick train journey by train from Guangzhou in mainland China to attend a press conference in Hong Kong and stay overnight before leaving the following morning to meet the Chongqing government.
"The request appeared to be legitimate and was on the back of a national government delegation visit that included Chancellor George Osborne and Mayor Anderson. As you know there has been significant speculation in the media about that one day trip that I was asked to make on October 31 2015.
"I was simply invited to a press conference and also as “guest of honour” to one dinner in Hong Kong in 2015. At no point did I promote any specific investments. It would be hugely inaccurate, false and misleading to suggest that I on behalf of LCC, or personally, was backing and promoting any schemes or investments."
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Cllr Millar reiterated that he never acted on behalf of specific developments.
He said: " I did not ‘endorse’ specific investment projects in Hong Kong. Again, for the avoidance of any doubt, I did not have and have never had a professional relationship with Peter McInnes or North Point Global or their agents in Hong Kong or in the UK."
Cllr Millar said photographs taken of him at the event in Hong Kong had later been used without his permission to give the wrong impression.
He said: "My role when on business overseas for LCC was to promote Liverpool as a business and international trade destination and not to specifically endorse individual projects, investments, products or services.
"It must also be stressed that I also make it very clear that potential investors have responsibility for undertaking due diligence prior to making their own decisions – as outlined in the Northern Powerhouse Pitchbook and other documents.
"Reference has been made that I was responsible for the use of my image to invite investors to one dinner in Hong Kong and for that invitation being sent. Again, I confirm that I have not given permission for anyone to use my image to give the perception of endorsement of any projects.
"Again, I take this opportunity to repeat that any potential investors are responsible for undertaking their own due diligence before making an investment."
Cllr Millar also claimed there was a degree of "hindsight" to some of the criticism regarding his time in China and Hong Kong.
He said: "Everything changed in January 2016 during the reporting of a court case. There was one ECHO story in particular that changed everything. Prior to this we just did not know about these major concerns about certain developers. I don't think anybody did. "
He added: "Another point is that certain people think because I was Mayoral Lead for Business I was somehow involved in planning and regeneration decisions. But I had nothing to do with those processes."
Cllr Millar also explained that one of his key roles during this period of time was to promote the International Festival for Business taking place in 2016 and 2018.
He said: "My other other key role then included promoting attendance at the UK’s International Business Festivals for both 2016 and 2018. This particular visit to Hong Kong was part of visits to other mainland Chinese cities to promote attendance at the UK’s International Business Festivals 2016 (IFB2016).
"All of those delegations were government led and they brought with them business owners, health, cultural and sports organisations, plus major politicians. This was my key role on behalf of this city in mainland China from 2015 to 2018. "
Cllr Millar also told the ECHO that he took part in several subsequent delegations to China in recent years.
He added: "My role has always been diplomatic and not tied to any specific commercial ventures. I have explained the city's heritage in terms of The Beatles, Everton FC and Liverpool FC.
"I think the big story here is the unseen benefits that the trade delegations have brought to Liverpool. We have attracted major investment into the city and provided benefits to our universities and hospitals. "
Cllr Millar was initially elected as a Liberal Democrat councillor in Old Swan in 2008. But he moved over to the Labour Party in 2011 and was soon made an assistant cabinet member.
A council spokesperson said to the ECHO: "The key objective of these visits was to promote the City of Liverpool as a destination to study, visit, work and grow businesses.
"In addition, meetings were held with appropriate government representatives to strengthen our international relationships.
"Such meetings are used to promote business growth and investment in our priority sectors and research institutions and provide outline information on all major projects to those interested in investing in for example infrastructure and housing.
"It is important to note that the city does not engage in any contract negotiations with individuals and they are referred directly to the developers and agents."
