The brutal coup d’etat in Chile on 11 September 1973 left thousands dead, many more in exile, and overthrew Salvador Allende’s democratically-elected government. Sheffield is among the cities that gave sanctuary to Chilean refugees. The Chilean community and friends held a march and rally on Saturday. Sheffield Live! reporter Steve Buckley spoke to organiser Maria Vasquez-Aguilar of the Chile Solidarity Network Sheffield.
BBC radio journalists in Sheffield and other parts of England have been on strike with a 48 hour walk out in a dispute over cuts to local radio services. The BBC wants its 39 local stations to share more programmes as part of a plan to modernise services and reduce costs across England. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to BBC journalist Kate Linderholm.
More than 50 black cab drivers gathered outside Sheffield Town Hall, protesting against Sheffield’s Clean Air Zone regulations and calling on councillors to extend the temporary exemption until July 2024. The temporary exemption charge of £10 is due to expire at the end of June 2023. Drivers say an extension will give them time to raise enough money to buy new vehicles. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to black cab drivers Qasim Aslam and Majid Kahn.
The leader of the Liberal Democrats in Sheffield, councillor Shaffaq Mohammed, has criticised the Green Party for allowing Labour to retake the leadership of Sheffield Council. The leadership election went to a second round of voting at Wednesday’s council meeting with a run-off between Labour’s Tom Hunt and the Lib Dem leader, after the Greens were knocked out in the first round. The Greens abstained in the second vote allowing Tom Hunt to be elected as leader. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
The first full meeting of Sheffield Council since the local elections has voted Labour group leader and Walkley councillor Tom Hunt to be the new city council leader. Hunt received 39 votes in the second round of voting against Liberal Democrats leader councillor Shaffaq Mohammed who received 29 votes. The Greens abstained from voting after their leader Douglas Johnson only managed to secure 14 votes in the first round. Hunt has promised to work with other political parties to spearhead what he called a “new generation of leadership”. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
An extraordinary Sheffield Council meeting last week to discuss the findings of the Lowcock Tree Inquiry into the Street Trees Dispute turned heated as questions were raised by former tree campaigners. Calvin Payne who was arrested in 2016 for protesting against the cutting down of thousands of trees across the city told Sheffied Live! he accepts the council’s apology over the felling of street trees and the treatment of campaigners but feels more accountability is needed. Baillor Jalloh reports.
Former UK sports minister and Sheffield Central MP Richard Caborn spoke of his delight at being honoured “Freedom of the City,” for dedicating his life to Sheffield and its people. Caborn was awarded the honour for his contribution to the advancement of sport in Sheffield, nationally and internationally, and for other services to the city. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
Polling stations across Sheffield opened on Thursday for the local elections with the requirement, for the first time, that voters show photo identification before being allowed to vote. Elections are taking place for Council seats in many parts of England with Sheffield having 29 of the 84 council seats up for grabs. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to some of those voting to get their views on the introduction of the voter identification at polling stations.
Pupils and parents faced another day of disruption this week as teachers in England went on strike again over their ongoing pay dispute with government. Members of the National Education Union (NEU) in England were out of their classrooms on Tuesday for the fifth day of national strike action this year. On previous strike days, dozens of schools in South Yorkshire were either fully or partially closed. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to Toby Malinson, joint branch secretary for the NEU Sheffield branch.
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!