Paul Blomfield, MP for Sheffield Central, is among local MPs welcoming news of the election of Sir Keir Starmer as new leader of the Labour Party. The 57-year old defeated Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy in a ballot of party members, trade unionists and registered supporters and will succeed Jeremy Corbyn as opposition leader. The lawyer, who became an MP in 2015, won on the first round of voting, with more than 50% of ballots cast. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
Sheffield City Region Mayor Dan Jarvis has said he is backing Lisa Nandy in the Labour leadership election. The Barnsley MP told Sheffield Live! he believes Nandy understands the challenges facing the North of England and that she is a capable leader. She is one of four candidates who are still in contention. alongside Rebecca Long-Bailey, Emily Thornberry and Sir Keir Starmer. Baillor Jalloh reports.
Former Sheffield Council deputy leader, Olivia Blake, has won the Sheffield Hallam constituency by a margin of just 712 votes ahead of the Liberal Democrats. Mickey Conn reports for Sheffield Live!
Sheffield MPs Louis Haigh and Clive Bett have said they are very disappointed with the election results. Both MPs were re-elected on Thursday with a big majority while nationally Labour suffered its worst election defeat for decades. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has promised to repay the trust put in him by Labour supporters who voted Conservative for the first time. MIckey Conn reports for Sheffield Live!
Over 1 million people have registered to vote in the last week alone as the 26 November deadline approaches. To vote in a UK general election you must be 18 or over on the day of the election, be a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen and resident at an address in the UK (or a British citizen living abroad who has been registered to vote in the UK in the last 15 years), and not be legally excluded from voting. You can only vote once, but if you are a student, you can register at both your university and home address.
For information on registering to vote visit:
https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Labour has promised billions of pounds of investment building new council houses, providing free internet broadband and supporting the NHS. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Shadow Attorney General Baroness Shami Chakrabatti who was in Sheffield for the special party leaders’ edition of BBC Question Time.
UK Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, criticised Jeremy Corbyn for his neutral stance on a future Brexit referendum if Labour wins the next general election. Speaking to Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed , after the special party leaders’ edition of BBC Question Time, Raab said: “How can you claim to be a leader and stay neutral on the biggest issue affecting this country in this election?” Corbyn has said acting as an “honest broker” was a “sensible way forward”.
Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Jo Swinson, visited an eco-home building site in Kelham Island ahead of the special leaders’ edition of BBC Question Time in Sheffield. Swinson pledged to tackle homelessness by building more affordable homes. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!
Local politicians and community activists joined a rally at Fargate in solidarity with pro-democracy campaigners in Hong Kong. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
With support for Boris Johnson building in the Tory leadership race, Sheffield Live! spoke to Alex Tant-Brown, chairman of Sheffield Hallam Conservative Association. Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson extended his tally to 143 in the third round of voting while Rory Stewart has dropped out after receiving just 27 votes. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt secured 54 votes, Environment Secretary Michael Gove gained 51 and Home Secretary Sajid Javid came in with 38. The four remaining candidates will face further voting rounds until just two are left. Party members will then be able to vote on the final two, with the winner becoming Tory Party leader and the country’s next Prime Minister. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!