Power deal between Labour and Greens in Sheffield

The leader of Labour on Sheffield City Council has said a deal would be announced in coming days about continuing a power-sharing deal with the Green Party.

It came after a bitter row over Zionism, which saw Labour nationally telling 11 councils, including Sheffield, to break power deals with the Greens.

Until this afternoon's council meeting, it had been expected that Labour would move to run matters in the city on its own, by ditching power-sharing with the Greens.

Speaking to a delayed full council meeting, Labour leader Fran Belbin said talks had been going on, and a joint statement would be made "in coming days" to show they could continue the current administration.

A protest was held outside the town hall ahead of the meeting, chiefly by pro- Palestine supporters.

Inside, the full council meeting was delayed for an hour as talks between Labour and the Greens continued.

Once underway, Belbin apologised to councillors for the delay and went on to explain that the two parties would "work more constructively together going forward".

She went on to indicate that a joint statement would soon mean that the current arrangement with the Greens would not change.

The power deal between Labour and the Greens in Sheffield came about following May's local elections, in which no party was left in overall control.

Commenting on the announcement by Belbin, councillor Martin Smith, leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, said: "This is an extraordinary U-turn and a shameful abandonment of principle by Labour.

"Just days ago, Labour were telling us that trust with the Greens was completely broken and that they could no longer work together. Now they've decided to carry on as if nothing happened."

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