Liverpool FC urged to drop shirt sponsor
Standard Chartered faces political backlash for endorsing ‘brutal’ human rights abuse in Hong Kong
Liverpool Football Club is being urged by senior politicians to drop Standard Chartered as a front-of-shirt sponsor as the bank faces a backlash for endorsing China’s “brutal human rights abuses” in Hong Kong. In a letter to executives at Anfield, the three vice-chairmen of Parliament’s all-party group for Hong Kong say the club’s continued association with Standard Chartered amounts to a “stain” on its reputation because of the bank’s support for a controversial security law.
LIVERPOOL Football Club is being urged by senior politicians to drop Standard Chartered as a front-of-shirt sponsor as the bank faces a backlash for endorsing China’s “brutal human rights abuses” in Hong Kong.
In a letter to executives at Anfield, the three vice-chairmen of Parliament’s allparty group for Hong Kong say the club’s continued association with Standard Chartered amounts to a “stain” on its reputation because of the bank’s support for a controversial security law.
Standard Chartered has been Liverpool’s main sponsor since 2010, with its logo plastered across the shirts of star players such as Jordan Henderson, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.
The bank agreed this month to extend the deal by another four years to 2027, generating a reported £50m per year for Liverpool – up from a previous figure of £40m.
But in their letter, crossbench peer Lord Alton of Liverpool, Tory peer Lord Shinkwin and Labour MP Siobhain Mcdonagh call for the club to “send a clear message” and cut ties in protest.
They accuse Standard Chartered of being “complicit” in Beijing’s crackdown in Hong Kong, where more than 10,000 citizens have been arrested for participation in pro-democracy demonstrations since the introduction of a new law that effectively outlaws protest.
The bank has publicly endorsed the law, claiming that it can “help maintain the long-term economic and social stability of Hong Kong”, despite widespread condemnation from the West.
In their letter, the APPG vicechairmen said: “Standard Chartered has made no apparent effort to stand up for human rights and principles of freedom and democracy, from which they benefit as a Uk-headquartered company.
“Even as daily reports of fresh arrests, intimidation and incarceration demonstrate the national security law’s systematic attack on democracy, the bank has continued to expand its operations in Hong Kong and China.
“Liverpool Football Club encapsulates some of the very best values of integrity and respect. To receive financial support from a company that profits from human rights abuses is a stain on that exemplary reputation.”
The letter called on Liverpool’s board to urgently “reconsider this business relationship and look elsewhere for sponsorship”. It said: “We must show Hongkongers that they are not alone, that those who support their oppression will not benefit from doing so, and that Liverpool Football Club supports human rights and freedom.”
Standard Chartered declined to comment. Liverpool FC was contacted for comment.
The national security law was passed imposed on Hong Kong in 2020. It was rushed through after a wave of protests over plans to allow extradition of people from Hong Kong to the mainland. The law criminalises separatism, subversion, terrorism, foreign interference and any “acts” that – according to the state – threaten national security.
The US said the change had destroyed the autonomy promised to Hong Kong under the “One Country, Two Systems” principle that was agreed during the handover of the territory from the UK to China.
Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary and Tory leadership contender, has said the Chinese authorities have “stifled opposition, criminalised dissent and driven out anyone who can speak truth to power” in the city since the law was passed.
Liverpool and John Henry, the club’s billionaire American owner, have faced controversy before over their links to China. His Fenway Sports Group did not respond to a request for comment.
Standard Chartered yesterday reported profits of $2.8bn for the first half of 2022, up by 10pc compared with a year earlier. The strong numbers were boosted by record income from its China business.
‘Standard Chartered endorsed a law that was designed to repress the people of Hong Kong’
‘You’ll never walk alone” is inscribed on the Shankly Gates at the Anfield Road entrance to Liverpool Football Club. I’ve lost count of the number of times I have read those words since attending a cracking derby game as a teenager.
As a student, I was elected to the Liverpool city council but despite the nuances of politics never made a secret of my allegiance of being a Liverpool FC fan. As a Liverpool MP, I shared in the triumphs on the field and in the tragedies off it. Liverpool enjoyed incredible success under Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Kenny Dalglish and more recently under Jurgen Klopp.
I’ve also seen what LFC’S success means to the city of Liverpool (even the blue half!) and I’m proud that our club and our city share important values such as solidarity, community and strength in adversity. But I fear that these values are now under threat.
For years, Liverpool FC has been sponsored by Standard Chartered bank; nothing controversial there, you might think. But Standard Chartered has a Hong Kong connection and has endorsed the National Security Law, a sinister agenda that takes away the rights of millions of people.
By continuing with this sponsorship, I fear that Liverpool FC is allowing its great name to dignify the daily assault on freedom and democracy to which, at the very minimum, Standard Chartered turns a blind eye.
To provide some context, in June 2020 the Chinese authorities passed a National Security Law (NSL) for Hong Kong, which made any form of protest or act deemed “unpatriotic” illegal and punishable with up to life in prison.
Any Hongkonger who valued freedom or democracy or wanted to avoid further erosion of the liberties guaranteed under the Sino-british joint declaration, would face going to prison.
The NSL allowed the Chinese-backed Hong Kong authorities to brutally crack down on all forms of protest and to further destroy the “two systems, one country” agreement.
In June 2020, Standard Chartered issued a public statement of support for the NSL, stating its belief that the law “can help maintain the long-term economic and social stability of Hong Kong”. This statement lent a veneer of legitimacy to the NSL and the subsequent brutal crackdown.
This means that Standard Chartered willingly and publicly endorsed a law that was designed to repress Hongkongers who simply wanted their legitimate rights protected.
The NSL has now been operating for more than two years. In that time, it has been enhanced and used for all manner of repressions to limit the freedoms of Hongkongers and to forcefully bring them under China’s full control.
The NSL has been used to imprison most of Hong Kong’s political opposition, including 53 of the city’s most prominent pro-democracy politicians and activists. The Hong Kong authorities have demolished press freedoms with independent, free-thinking media such as Apple Daily, Stand News and Citizen News all ceasing to exist following a relentless campaign of intimidation and the mass arrests of journalists and executives.
Beijing has also gutted Hong Kong’s legislature to make it a puppet parliament that rubber stamps the wishes of Beijing. Imposed last year, its “patriot” reforms have ensured that Hong Kong’s parliament is packed only with sycophants who will vote the way they are told to do so by China.
These changes have paved the way for Beijing to install a former security chief, John Lee, as Hong Kong’s new chief executive. Key to crushing the city’s democracy protests, Lee’s disgraceful appointment only tightens Beijing’s powerful grip.
By supporting the NSL, Standard Chartered is complicit in these brutal crimes against humanity. And by accepting Standard Chartered’s sponsorship money, Liverpool FC is providing a thin veneer of respectability to these crimes.
Those at Liverpool FC who continue to believe in its core values must end its sponsorship arrangement with Standard Chartered or risk being the latest depressing example of sports washing. This is especially urgent with the club having this week announced a new sponsorship agreement with Standard Chartered that is due to run until 2027. Liverpool FC should urgently consider cancelling this contract or risk sending a message to the world that it supports the repression of freedom, democracy and human rights.
That is why I have written to the chief executive of Liverpool Football Club, Billy Hogan, urging him to think again about this sponsorship deal.
Liverpool FC should also reconsider the club’s environmental, social and governance standards and reflect the recommendations in the joint report by the parliamentary group for Hong Kong and community group Stand With Hong Kong that called for human rights due diligence strategies to be incorporated by companies.
It is also why I have been calling on the UK Government to impose severe measures on those politicians in China and Hong Kong directly responsible for the NSL and the brutal crackdown.
These measures must include targeted, economic and diplomatic sanctions, asset freezes and travel bans on Chinese and Hong Kong officials guilty of destroying the city’s rights and freedoms.
Liz Truss has been right to say that we cannot continue to sit idly by as Hongkongers are brutally robbed of the universal rights and freedoms that we all take for granted.
As the football season kicks off this weekend with the Community Shield, Liverpool’s supporters will be singing You’ll Never Walk Alone in full voice. The club’s owners need to ask themselves if the sentiment in that beautiful song still rings true.