THE author of a controversial report calling for the regeneration of Liverpool to be scrapped and thousands of its residents moved south is to visit the city to take part in a debate about its future.

Dr Tim Leunig, whose Cities Unlimited reported provoked outrage last month, will go head-to-head with Prof David Robertson, director of Liverpool John Moores University’s institute for public policy research.

Prof Robertson was one of the many voices in Liverpool to call on Dr Leunig to visit the city and be proved wrong about his report, which was dismissed by many as barmy.

The debate will be held at Liverpool Cathedral on Thursday, October 16. Ticket arrangements are yet to be announced.

Last night, the Daily Post was unable to contact Dr Leunig, who last month said he felt unable to visit Liverpool because he feared for his safety after receiving a barrage of abusive emails.

“He’s got God’s protection so is coming,” joked Prof Robertson. “Good for him in some ways, though, to agree to come.”

Dr Leunig and Prof Robertson will each be given 15 minutes in the debate to advance their views of Liverpool’s future.

A panel of prominent Liverpool figures will also pose questions. Bishop of Liverpool James Jones and Canon Justin Welby will represent the church.

Liverpool Council leader Warren Bradley, Jack Stopforth, chief executive of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, and Pauline Davis, managing director of regeneration agency New Heartlands, will also be on the panel.

Prof Robertson said: “I have read the report a couple of times now. He is arguing aid is wasted and we should all move out.

“That is not a policy option. If you applied that model to the rest of the world, you would effectively say close down Africa and come to London. It is just not sensible.”

A spokesperson for the Liverpool Diocese said they were delighted the Cathedral was to host the debate.

“We feel it offers an ideal opportunity for leading figures to discuss the important challenges facing the city as we work to build on the successes of Capital of Culture year.” Dr Leunig’s report, published by the right-wing Policy Exchange, claimed the UK’s once-great port cities, like Liverpool, had lost their “raison d’etre” in a world economy driven by road and air freight.

It recommended a liberalisation of planning laws to allow London’s high-value industrial land to be turned into housing for the millions due to desert the North.

Because “a decade of regeneration policies has failed to stop the inequality of opportunity” between cities like Liverpool and the South- East, government handouts should also be scrapped or reformed, it said.

davidbartlett