Last week, Labour regained a seat on Sheffield City Council just months after the Council leader lost in the same ward.
In August, Green Party councillor Andy Davies stepped down from his post, causing a by-election in Walkley. This was less than 3 months after he defeated Labour’s former Sheffield City Council Leader Tom Hunt by just 73 votes.
Hunt’s defeat was a reflection of Labour’s luck across the country, with the party down 13 seats across Sheffield alone. Many of those who lost majorities across the country, including Hunt, placed the blame on the national Labour Party.
After losing his seat in May, Hunt hoped the fragmented authority would not lead to ‘chaotic scenes’ in local politics. Little did he know that these would be seen in his former ward.
Davies stepped down via a social media post on 3 August saying that he ‘was not prepared for the huge weight of expectation and obligation’ that he felt in his new role. He cited personal reasons for his resignation, signposting mental health services to others who may also be struggling, adding that ‘there should be no shame’ when it comes to mental health.
Meanwhile, Hunt announced that he will not be standing in the by-election in his old ward. He stated that despite this he would do what he could to help ensure that Labour win, publicly endorsing Labour’s new candidate Hannah Cawley.
Cawley went on to decisively win the seat last week. She beat Green Party candidate Seb Van Bilsen Irias by over 1,000 votes. In a post on facebook, Tom Hunt claimed that he was ‘delighted’ with this result while Cawley stated that she was ‘very happy’.
With Starmer blamed for much of Labour’s electoral woes back in May, Walkley’s return to red might be reflective of a shift in public opinion across the country since the instatement of our new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham.
Featured image credit: Hannah Cawley via Facebook
