The Sheffield branch of Momentum were in buoyant mood as they made their way to Liverpool to celebrate Jeremy Corbyn’s expected victory in the Labour leadership contest. Corbyn has since been returned as Labour leader after comfortably beating challenger Owen Smith. Corbyn won 61.8 per cent of the vote, a larger majority than last year and vowed to bring the party back together. Sheffield Live! reporter Simon Thake spoke with members of Sheffield Momentum.
Sophie Walker, leader of the Women’s Equality Party visited Sheffield as part of a nationwide tour to mark the 20th anniversary of the ‘What Women Want’ social survey of 1996. Twenty years ago, postcards were sent to women across Britain asking them the same question. Ten thousand women responded and this ground-breaking study changed the course of British politics. The Women’s Equality Party, which has 65,000 members and registered supporters, is asking ‘what do women want’ today and discussing how to achieve a fair future for all. The party was founded by Sandi Toksvig and Catherine Mayer in March 2015. Sheffield Live! reporter Simon Thake spoke to Sophie Walker.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has published a new book, ‘Politics: Between the Extremes’. It is a frank account of his experience in politics, power and the 2015 General Election defeat. The Sheffield Hallam MP argues that with the resurgence of nationalism and mainstream parties in turmoil, new divisions define the country that are no longer simply left and right. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to Nick Clegg at the launch of this year’s Off the Shelf Festival of Words at Sheffield Hallam University.
A correspondent from Barnsley has been working at the Daily Mirror for the year running up to the election. Voice of a generation has been a project to see what young people think about politics.
Spain has been famous for its somewhat controversial tradition of bullfighting, which is still a big part of the country’s fiesta culture. As a spectator sport, it is still widely popular, with several thousand Spaniards attending each week.
Despite this, in July the parliament of Catalonia voted to ban bullfighting after a petition was brought against it. The petition was signed by 180,000 people who believe this tradition to be barbaric and outdated. In the vote held on July 28, 68 voted in favour of the ban, 55 voted against and nine abstained.
Communities Live reporters Carlota Calderón and Emma Wass interviewed three Spaniards to ask for their opinion regarding this new legislation, which will take effect in January 2012.
Carlota is a Spanish native from the northern city of Pamplona, where San Fermines, the “running of the bulls” festival is held every summer. Emma spent a few months in the same region, Navarra, so has also experienced the fiesta culture first hand.
The interviewees are Hisham Melara from Granada, Andalucía, Oscar Floristán from Navarra, and Nacho Vázquez from Zaragoza.
The report discusses the moral issue regarding bullfighting i.e. animal welfare and the political issues behind the ban which relate to Catalonia’s fight for independence from the rest of Spain.
