King Cotton

A musical written by Jimmy McGovern ? It didn't seem possible but last night I went to see it with the playwright Lee Evans and I can assure you it was very good.

It connects the stories of slaves with poor white cotton workers in the mills of Lancashire, it contrasts the strength of faith (with some lovely Gospel songs) and the corruption of Church.

Sokoto is a save in Louisiana and Tom is a mill worker in Lancashire. By the end of the play these two men have been tranfsformed to recognise each other's plight. Tom and his fellow workers will never again ignore the blood of the slaves that is found on the bales of cotton that arrive via Liverpool.

A drama - unlike sermons or learned articles perhaps - can make those connections between people in a global economy with extreme power. King Cotton does the job. I hope it gets to the West End.

Liverpool is gateway to the wider world.

On our fine seafront you will find this sculpture giving a flavour of the exotic and the historic.

The ocean reminds me of the co-relationship with others, brothers and sisters, throughout the world and our responsibility for each other. Trade is part of our history and our present - but it is only one aspect of our life together. We are people first; producers and importers second.