Is the Sheffield Conservative Party alright?

“If you look at all those tweets, they all have a reasonable explanation. Is that newsworthy?…You do what you’re going to do and you make your little article.” According to Steven Winstone, the chair of the Sheffield Conservative Federation, an article in which The Tribune sifts through some of the most extreme tweets published by people involved in the Sheffield Conservative Party, is really scraping the barrel. 

But we’d dispute this: the content of these tweets raises questions about the local Conservative Party’s process for selecting politicians. Are people with more extreme views being selected due to the dearth of support for the Tories in Sheffield? How does a Conservative who cannot confirm she has ever met another Conservative in her three years of membership get selected as a candidate? And why won’t any of Sheffield’s moderate Tories respond to our emails? All this and more in Dan’s lively dig into the Sheffield Conservative Party’s questionable digital presence.

Editor’s note: Democracy isn’t a wind-up toy: it demands scrutiny to function. Each of us can only hold local representatives to account if we have a nuanced understanding of the political landscape. While we love having bracing discussions with politicians who think we’re “knobheads”, we probably wouldn’t do this for free…thankfully, our generous paying members mean we don’t have to! If you rate what we do and agree that Sheffield is all the better for our scrutiny, please consider signing up for a paid membership.

Your Tribune briefing

👶 A nursery attached to a Broomhall primary may shut forever due to lack of demand, despite the school itself being oversubscribed. Springfield Primary School has 82 children in reception but, in the 22/23 school year, there were at most 16 children enrolled at its nursery. A report for councillors notes that many of the school’s pupils “are the children of overseas students or refugees and asylum seekers,” meaning student numbers fluctuate.

🏗️ Work to open up the River Sheaf in Castlegate has finally begun. A huge crane is currently lifting sections of the century old concrete culvert, with work expected to take several weeks to complete. The river is being “daylighted” to form the centrepiece of a new park on the former site of Sheffield Castle and the Castle Market, and will include a pass so fish and other animals can travel upstream. Work is due to be completed by spring 2026.

⚽ Former Sheffield United defender Chris Basham has announced his retirement from football after he sustained an horrific ankle injury on the pitch last October. The 36-year-old, who has spent a decade playing for the Blades and appeared in 400 games, received a host of tributes from his former teammates after making the announcement. While he’s not confirmed his future career plans, he has recently appeared as a commentator on Sky Sports.

Things to do

🪕 The Brothers Arms in Heeley is 10 years old this weekend, and to celebrate they have a weekend of festivities planned. On Saturday their 10th birthday summer bash will include live music from 2pm until 1am, as well as DJs in the outside tent and in the bar until close. And on Friday, and sure to be packed, from 6pm they will be hosting a very special performance from the pub’s owners, the Everly Pregnant Brothers. Arrive early to avoid disappointment.

🍅 On Saturday at St Mary’s Church on South Road, the annual free Walkley Horticultural Show will give the city’s green-fingered the chance to show off their prize-winning plums, awe-inspiring aubergines and best bouquets (10am-2pm). The show will contain sections dedicated to fruit, vegetables, cut flowers, preserves, baking and juniors. There will also be stalls, games and a raffle. Show entries can only be submitted on Friday from 5pm-7pm.

🎸 It’s nice to see some local talent on at The Leadmill this weekend, with two headline shows by Sheffield bands. On Friday, local alt-rock masters Ocean Thieves top a stellar bill, with the searing sounds of Cloud Caravan, Ten Eighty Trees and Cabróns rounding off proceedings. And on Saturday, searing South Yorkshire alt-rockers April Tapes play the biggest show in their history. Tickets for both shows are just £4 and doors open at 7pm.

Is the Sheffield Conservative Party alright?

“I wish you all the best and we’ll see where it gets you,” says Steven Winstone, the chair of the Sheffield Conservative Federation at the end of our 30 minute phone call. Writing the words down they seem like a nice enough way to end a conversation, but I’m not sure he really means them. The fact that he calls me a “knobhead” before he puts the phone down on me is the clincher.

I finally speak to Winstone after spending several days trying to speak to local Conservatives about a scandal which is engulfing the party. The Tribune first became aware of the allegations as a result of two stories in The Star and Now Then. The Star last week alleged that Sheffield Conservative Federation Chair Steven Winstone had posted or reposted material to his personal X/Twitter account that was “‘discriminatory’, ‘offensive’ and laden with unfounded conspiracy theories”. The posts included claims that global warming is a hoax, the Covid pandemic was a plot to ensure former US President Donald Trump was not reelected and that former US First Lady Michelle Obama is a man. Mr Winstone’s X/Twitter bio says that all reposts are not endorsements and that some are written or reposted by “his team”. His account has now been made private, meaning only followers can see his posts.

In The Star’s original story, the Sheffield human rights campaigner said Winstone’s position was “untenable”. However, The Tribune can today reveal that further posts have come to light.