'We cannot continue our partnership': Sheffield City Council in turmoil again
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“We cannot, in good faith, continue our partnership with a group where such blatant antisemitism is not adequately challenged.”
Sheffield City Council has been thrown into disarray once again as the fractured Labour and Greens leadership coalition looks to finally be coming to an end.
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The final nail in the coffin for the strained working relationship appears to be a recent report highlighting alleged ‘antisemitic’ social media posts by Burngreave councillor Mustafa Ahmed.
The split in the local parties had been threatening to happen since the Greens launched the ‘Zionism is Racism’ motion at their party conference in Brighton at the beginning of October.
It was announced then by council leader and Labour councillor Fran Belbin that she planned to put forward a minority Labour leadership at Sheffield Town Hall in response.
However, in the moments before a full council meeting on November 4 to announce the official split of the two parties, last ditch talks seemed to offer hope that they could continue to work together, with Coun Belbin saying: “We have made significant progress this morning towards getting to a position that we think we can agree on, or where we can certainly work more constructively together going forwards."
But a recent report by the Jewish Chronicle highlighting alleged ’antisemitic’ social media posts from Coun Ahmed has thrown fresh doubt on the council’s ability to function in its current form.
Issuing a long statement to social media on Wednesday (November 11) evening, Coun Belbin said: “I have striven to find a consensus despite knowing how challenging this may be and I entered these discussions in good faith. Last week, hours before full council, Sheffield Greens finally confirmed that they recognise that not all Zionists are racists; that all peoples have the right to self-determination; and they committed to undertake antisemitism training organised by the Council for all councillors.
“On that basis, I felt there could be enough common ground for us to continue our joint administration in the best interests of Sheffield.
“Since then we have worked with them to put out a joint statement to reassure our communities. It has been slow work but unfortunately the Green Party has been unable to take the steps needed to give our city the certainty we need.
“Trust has been further eroded by the recent reporting of Cllr Mustafa Ahmed’s Facebook posts following the October 7th attacks in 2023. He claimed that Muslims who condemned the attacks would have to “bear the shame of supporting the Jews.” Further damaging posts by Cllr Ahmed are reported to have been made in 2025.”
Coun Belbin continued that Coun Ahmed’s views are “incompatible with Sheffield Labour's central belief that Palestinians and Israelis should have the right to self-determination” and that “minority communities in Sheffield need to be able to live in safety and security. Any other party would have condemned his words and suspended him immediately.”
She added: “Despite the very best efforts and intentions of the Sheffield Labour Party, it is clear that the joint administration with the Green Party in Sheffield must now come to an end. We cannot, in good faith, continue our partnership with a group where such blatant antisemitism is not adequately challenged.”
Coun Ahmed said in response to the article on Tuesday: “I strongly reject the Jewish Chronicle’s deeply unfair portrayal of me and any suggestion that I harbour hatred towards Jewish people or celebrate violence against innocent people.
"I stand firmly against antisemitism, Islamophobia and all forms of racism. Justice for Palestinians and the safety and dignity of Jewish people are not competing causes. I will always stand for both.”
Council leader Fran Belbin’s statement in full:
Sheffield prides itself as a welcoming, diverse city that is home to many communities and I will always seek to bring people together.
Following the divisive Green Party motion, I have tried to find a way through which would enable the Labour Party and Green Party in Sheffield to continue our administration, and to ensure we put the best interests of local residents first.
I have striven to find a consensus despite knowing how challenging this may be and I entered these discussions in good faith. Last week, hours before full council, Sheffield Greens finally confirmed that they recognise that not all Zionists are racists; that all peoples have the right to self-determination; and they committed to undertake antisemitism training organised by the Council for all councillors.
On that basis, I felt there could be enough common ground for us to continue our joint administration in the best interests of Sheffield.
Since then we have worked with them to put out a joint statement to reassure our communities. It has been slow work but unfortunately the Green Party has been unable to take the steps needed to give our city the certainty we need.
Trust has been further eroded by the recent reporting of Cllr Mustafa Ahmed’s Facebook posts following the October 7th attacks in 2023. He claimed that Muslims who condemned the attacks would have to “bear the shame of supporting the Jews.” Further damaging posts by Cllr Ahmed are reported to have been made in 2025.
Throughout that period Cllr Ahmed was a Green Party candidate but his behaviour appears to have gone unchecked. The Green Party and Cllr Ahmed's responses we have seen so far are deeply disappointing. They do not acknowledge the impact of these words or even include an apology.
We should be horrified by violence against any community, not celebrate it. It is entirely possible to condemn attacks on Israeli civilians while also advocating for a free Palestine.
Cllr Ahmed's views are incompatible with Sheffield Labour's central belief that Palestinians and Israelis should have the right to self-determination and that minority communities in Sheffield need to be able to live in safety and security. Any other party would have condemned his words and suspended him immediately.
It is exactly the reason why the Labour Party – locally, regionally and nationally – object to the Zionism is Racism motion in the first place – because at the very least, it fans the flames of antisemitism and makes Jewish people in our city feel afraid. When unacceptable views are then not challenged clearly and decisively, it compounds that fear.
Despite the very best efforts and intentions of the Sheffield Labour Party, it is clear that the joint administration with the Green Party in Sheffield must now come to an end. We cannot, in good faith, continue our partnership with a group where such blatant antisemitism is not adequately challenged.
While I recognise that the divisive "Zionism is Racism" policy and the views expressed by Councillor Ahmed are not representative of all Green Party councillors in Sheffield, it is incredibly disappointing that they remain unable to disavow this damaging motion in full and call on their national party to do the same.
In the days ahead, I will continue doing what I have done since I was first entrusted to help take our city forwards: put local people in every community first.
I will continue giving it my all to ensure we can now move forwards and continue delivering the hard work people across Sheffield expect, while standing firm behind our principles that NO community should be marginalised – including Jews and Palestinians.