Sheffield councillors condemn Tory government and ‘Keir Thatcher’ in fiery debate

During a heavy debate on a motion at yesterday’s (December 6) full council, the government and the Labour leader were criticised from left, centre and right.

In the debate to condemn “13 years of Conservative government failure”, Cllr Zahira Naz (Darnall, Labour) said the Tory government “failed Sheffield”. She said people had to rely on food banks and choose between heating and eating is “Tory Britain”.

Cllr Naz added: “Enough is enough.”

The chamber was told that the council had £856 per household less to spend in real terms, compared to 2010/11.

Then opposition councillors – from the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Sheffield Community Councillors – had the floor and they used it to rip into not only the government but Keir Starmer for praising Margaret Thatcher, the former Conservative prime minister.

Cllr Robert Reiss (East Ecclesfield, Liberal Democrats) said: “This Labour motion does a very good job of criticising the current Tory government for what it has done to Sheffield.

“But there is a woman that did immeasurable damage to South Yorkshire and industries that I work in, a woman that according to (Keir) Starmer had “admirable traits”.

“Does Cllr (Tom) Hunt agree with his leader or are there traits of hers that he admires more?”

He also criticised the Labour leader for saying that the spending taps wouldn’t be opened should he become prime minister.

Cllr Reiss asked: “So is it only austerity when someone else does it, but fiscal responsibility when it is of their own design?”

From the Greens, Cllr Paul Turpin (Gleadless Valley) agreed that “it’s been a crap 13 years under the Tory government”.

However, he then turned to Labour and called Keir Starmer “Keir Thatcher”.

“I hope he’s lying”, Cllr Turpin said of Keir Starmer praising Margaret Thatcher in the Telegraph.

He added there was no “difference between Labour and the Tories”.

Cllr Bryan Lodge (Birley) from the Sheffield Community Councillors accused Sheffield Labour of focusing on the upcoming general election instead of Sheffield.

Ending the debate, Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed (Ecclesall, Liberal Democrats, leader of the Liberal Democrats) called Labour the “Margaret Thatcher Appreciation Society”.

Following a vote, amendments 3 and 5 were carried with amendment 4 falling.

The motion, to condemn “13 years of Conservative government failure”, was unanimously carried, with the council agreeing to protect public services and grow the local economy.