Liverpool City to honour New York

The people of Liverpool are to honour the bravery of New Yorkers by granting them the Freedom of the city, it was revealed today.

City bosses say the honour, which is the highest they can award, is intended to reflect Liverpudlians’ solidarity with New York citizens following last month’s terrorist attacks.

Liberal-Democrat City Council leader Mike Storey said the two ports shared a common bond as ten million people set sail from Liverpool to New York during mass emigrations at the turn of the last century.

He said: ‘‘The dreadful loss of life of innocent people, many of them from the emergency services, shocked the world.

‘‘No greater has that shock and sorrow been felt than in our city. The bond between the great ports of Liverpool and New York goes back hundreds of years.’’

The motion to grant the Freedom award, which has cross-party support, is set to be formally approved next week.