Sheffield’s deputy mayor tells of threat to burn down her house

A motion debated at a full council meeting yesterday (July 17) in Sheffield has revealed that councillors have experienced abuse while in office – some have decided to speak up and tell the chamber about the harrowing reality of being a councillor.

Perhaps the most passionate speech came from the new deputy lord mayor, Coun Safiya Saeed.

She told members that she had brought up her five children as a single mum and taught them essential life lessons, such as not staring at people, saying thank you, the importance of doing homework and so on.

Coun Saeed said she always taught them to be polite but when she decided to stand to be a councillor “my children didn’t sign up for this”.

She said: “At these elections, I’d been questioned by my faith, been called names.

“We fled war so we could come to a country and feel safe. This city didn’t make me feel safe.”

Coun Saeed said there was no excuse for anyone to text her insults and highlighted one occasion when she was sent a message by someone calling her a wh***.

She continued: “…or to call me a s**g or [telling me] I should get my house burnt down.”

Coun Shaffaq Mohammed, from the Liberal Democrats, said members could support motions and sign up to anything but he wanted to see actions instead.

He said the discussion has become “nasty, personal” in the 20 years he has been a councillor.

Coun Mohammed added: “I tell you who haven’t signed up for this – the families of the individuals who are sat in this chamber.”

Coun Terry Fox, the former leader of the council, said he has had to attend a lot of meetings and events since he has been a councillor and he and his colleagues have also received threats.

He added he personally asked for risk assessment and health and safety measures to be carried out.

“Words matter,” he said.