A whirlwind day at Sheffield’s Local Election count sees no party take overall control, but Labour gains offer an insight into some of the key issues that will be at hand come the general election.
Labour increased its control of the council winning six additional seats, including the Conservative’s only Sheffield council seat in Stocksbridge and Upper Don, sending an additional shot across the bow to the Conservatives on what has already been a wretched day across the nation for Rishi Sunak’s beleaguered party.
The count also saw upsets for Labour’s closest rivals the Liberal Democrats, who lost Ecclesall ward to exuberant celebration from underdog Green candidate Peter Gilbert and losing two seats overall.
The Green party failed to capitalise on fatigue of Labour’s majority in some parts of the city and lost some seats alongside gaining some, retaining 14 seats.
Shaffaq Mohammad, leader of the Liberal Democrats Group in Sheffield, was philosophical after the mixed-bag of his party’s results, thanking colleagues for their efforts while highlighting the similar losses of safe seats by Labour and the Greens. He said: “For all three leaders we’ve got to go away now and reflect on what happened.”
On if today’s result will affect the way the council is run his response was stoic: “It’s going to be as you were if I’m being honest.”
With no overall control it seems likely that the incumbent leader of the council Tom Hunt will remain in place after confirming his intention to run for the position again with Labour remaining the biggest party.
Today was not wholly positive for Labour, losing safe-seat Darnall to independent candidate Qais Al-Ahdal who campaigned on a pro-Palestine ticket.
This defeat has been a theme of Labour’s day across the country, losing control of Oldham council after losing seats to independent candidates with a pro-Palestine platform.
Cllr Hunt said: “I know that many people in this city are deeply upset and care passionately about what is happening in Palestine. We have been on record for many months now calling for a ceasefire, calling for humanitarian aid to be allowed to flow freely into Gaza and calling for the resumption of a peace process for a two-state solution.
“The shift in policy that I want to see is from the Conservative government who need to be doing a lot more to put pressure through the international community to call for that resumption of the peace process for a two-state solution.”
Reflecting on the day overall Cllr Hunt was bullish about Labour’s prospects. He said: “It’s clearly been a good day for the Labour Party across the country and a terrible day for the Conservatives.
“Bring on the general election.”
