{"id":948814,"date":"2026-05-09T18:17:52","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T18:17:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/948814\/"},"modified":"2026-05-09T18:17:52","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T18:17:52","slug":"ousted-sheffield-city-council-leader-incredibly-disappointed-as-he-makes-one-admission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/948814\/","title":{"rendered":"Ousted Sheffield City Council leader &#8216;incredibly disappointed&#8217; as he makes one admission"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Sheffield Council leader Tom Hunt gives his view after he was ousted<\/p>\n<p>18:38, 08 May 2026Updated 07:42, 09 May 2026<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Tom Hunt shaking Andy Davies hand after he lost his seat in Walkley\" loading=\"eager\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_Tom-Hunt-Sheffield.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Tom Hunt shaking Andy Davies hand after he lost his seat in Walkley\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Tom Hunt shaking Andy Davies hand after he lost his seat in Walkley(Image: Andrew Dowdeswell \/ YorkshireLive)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A leader of a Yorkshire council who lost his seat in the local elections admitted the Labour Party always knew this was going to be a difficult election.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Cllr Tom Hunt, the leader of <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.examinerlive.co.uk\/all-about\/sheffield-council\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">Sheffield City Council<\/a>, lost to Green Party candidate Andy Davies in Walkley by 73 votes as the results of <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.examinerlive.co.uk\/news\/local-news\/sheffield-local-elections-live-2026-33909946\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">a dramatic local election in Sheffield were announced today (Friday, May 8)<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">An obviously downhearted Mr Hunt spoke to the media afterwards, and admitted that many in the Labour Party knew this local election was a challenge. &#8220;We&#8217;ve always known that this was going to be a difficult set of elections for the Labour Party in <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.examinerlive.co.uk\/all-about\/sheffield\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">Sheffield<\/a>, in South Yorkshire, and across the whole country,&#8221; he said. &#8220;As votes are being counted today, it looks like that has certainly been the case. National parties in government often find that local elections are difficult, and today is no exception.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It was a dreadful day for Labour, <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.examinerlive.co.uk\/news\/local-news\/sheffield-local-elections-live-2026-33909946\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">which won just four of the 12 seats they were defending<\/a>. It leaves the party with just 26 councillors across Sheffield, marginally clear of the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party. The big winners were Reform UK, <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.examinerlive.co.uk\/news\/local-news\/sheffield-city-councillors-elected-every-33887183\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">who secured 12 seats and now have 13 councillors<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Mr Hunt said he was concerned about the rise of Reform in Sheffield\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_John-Booker-John-Hesketh-Reform-Sheffield.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Mr Hunt said he was concerned about the rise of Reform in Sheffield\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Mr Hunt said he was concerned about the rise of Reform in Sheffield(Image: Andrew Dowdeswell \/ YorkshireLive)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Mr Hunt said he was &#8220;incredibly disappointed&#8221; when he realised he lost, but admitted he was proud of his work as a councillor. He added: &#8220;I put myself forward four years ago to represent the community that I live in, because I care about it, and I was frustrated that this city was not fulfilling its potential, that we were getting hammered by the then Tory government, and I wanted to roll up my sleeves and do something about it. And for the last four years, I feel proud that that&#8217;s what I&#8217;ve done.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Voters have had their say. They&#8217;ve had their democratic right to have their say on my record as a local councillor and on others across the city, and I respect that judgement, but I am very proud of my local track record, and I will continue to serve our city in whatever way I can, because we&#8217;re moving forward, and we can&#8217;t afford to go back.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">Stay up to date with the latest election results news in <a aria-label=\"Sheffield with the live blog hereLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.examinerlive.co.uk\/news\/local-news\/sheffield-local-elections-live-2026-33909946\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">Sheffield with the live blog here<\/a>. Check who has won in your area with the full <a aria-label=\"list of elected councillors hereLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.examinerlive.co.uk\/news\/local-news\/sheffield-city-councillors-elected-every-33887183\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">list of elected councillors here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">Sign up for YorkshireLive Premium <\/strong><a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.examinerlive.co.uk\/subscribe\/\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">here<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">On the rise of Reform, Mr Hunt said he was &#8220;concerned&#8221; about the party&#8217;s increased presence in the political landscape in Sheffield. He said: &#8220;Reform do not have the right answers for our communities. Nigel Farage is on record saying he thinks we should move to a US-style insurance system for our NHS. I think that their politics will lead to potentially more division at a time when we need to be coming together. These are not the issues that I think the people of Sheffield are going to be supported by by Reform. I respect the decisions that people have made, and I hope the parties now come together to keep this city moving forward.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">As for what comes next, Mr Hunt said he will take a break after a long and hard campaign, before reassessing his options.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">Get all the latest and breaking Sheffield news straight to your inbox by <\/strong><a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.examinerlive.co.uk\/newsletter-preference-centre\/?view=Solus&amp;mailingListId=11e3a255-9202-43b5-8471-cfbf02dcd578&amp;utm_source=solusarticle\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">signing up to our newsletter here.<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sheffield Council leader Tom Hunt gives his view after he was ousted 18:38, 08 May 2026Updated 07:42, 09&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":948815,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8817],"tags":[748,393,4884,10751,1620,102786,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-948814","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sheffield","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-local-elections","12":"tag-sheffield","13":"tag-sheffield-council","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116545999592762507","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/948814","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=948814"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/948814\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/948815"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=948814"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=948814"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=948814"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}