People's Republic of South Yorkshire
Encyclopedia
The People's Republic
of South Yorkshire or The Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire, is a satirical reference to Sheffield
. It refers to the left-wing Labour
administration of Sheffield City Council
during the 1980s, under the leadership of David Blunkett
.
The expression is said to have been coined by Irvine Patnick
, a Conservative MP who represented Sheffield Hallam, an unusually wealthy area of South Yorkshire. However it was sometimes used by supporters of the council's left-wing policies. Somewhat ironically, Sheffield Hallam experienced something of a shift to the left, albeit in a different form, and has been a Liberal Democrat
stronghold since 1997, turning on Patnick; the seat is now held by Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg
.
Examples of policies introduced by the council during this period are:
The town hall's gardens were named the Peace Gardens
in 1985. The site contains several memorials for Sheffielders who served in wars, including in the Spanish Civil War
and another plaque commemorating Sheffielders who gave their lives in all conflicts, including the Korean War
. It also contains a memorial to Hiroshima
, unveiled on Hiroshima Day, 8 August 1985, in the presence of three survivors of the atomic devastation.
The Miners' Strike
also took place during this period.
People's Republic
People's Republic is a title that has often been used by Marxist-Leninist governments to describe their state. The motivation for using this term lies in the claim that Marxist-Leninists govern in accordance with the interests of the vast majority of the people, and, as such, a Marxist-Leninist...
of South Yorkshire or The Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire, is a satirical reference to Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
. It refers to the left-wing Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
administration of Sheffield City Council
Sheffield City Council
Sheffield City Council is the city council for the metropolitan borough of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It consists of 84 councillors, elected to represent 28 wards, each with three councillors...
during the 1980s, under the leadership of David Blunkett
David Blunkett
David Blunkett is a British Labour Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, having represented Sheffield Brightside from 1987 to 2010...
.
The expression is said to have been coined by Irvine Patnick
Irvine Patnick
Sir Cyril Irvine Patnick, known as Irvine Patnick OBE is a British businessman and former Conservative Party politician....
, a Conservative MP who represented Sheffield Hallam, an unusually wealthy area of South Yorkshire. However it was sometimes used by supporters of the council's left-wing policies. Somewhat ironically, Sheffield Hallam experienced something of a shift to the left, albeit in a different form, and has been a Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
stronghold since 1997, turning on Patnick; the seat is now held by Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a senior member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. The office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not a permanent position, existing only at the discretion of the Prime Minister, who may appoint to other offices...
, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg
Nick Clegg
Nicholas William Peter "Nick" Clegg is a British Liberal Democrat politician who is currently the Deputy Prime Minister, Lord President of the Council and Minister for Constitutional and Political Reform in the coalition government of which David Cameron is the Prime Minister...
.
Examples of policies introduced by the council during this period are:
- Sheffield council twinning itself with DonetskDonetskDonetsk , is a large city in eastern Ukraine on the Kalmius river. Administratively, it is a center of Donetsk Oblast, while historically, it is the unofficial capital and largest city of the economic and cultural Donets Basin region...
, UkraineUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, which was then in the Soviet UnionSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. - The introduction of Peace studiesPeace and conflict studiesPeace and conflict studies is a social science field that identifies and analyses violent and nonviolent behaviours as well as the structural mechanisms attending social conflicts with a view towards understanding those processes which lead to a more desirable human condition...
into schools. - Sheffield declaring itself a nuclear-free zoneNuclear-free zoneA nuclear-free zone is an area where nuclear weapons and nuclear power are banned. The specific ramifications of these depend on the locale in question....
. - Heavily subsidising public transportPublic transportPublic transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
. - Flying the red flagRed flagIn politics, a red flag is a symbol of Socialism, or Communism, or sometimes left-wing politics in general. It has been associated with left-wing politics since the French Revolution. Socialists adopted the symbol during the Revolutions of 1848 and it became a symbol of communism as a result of its...
on Sheffield Town HallSheffield Town HallSheffield Town Hall is a building in the City of Sheffield, England. The building is used by Sheffield City Council, and also contains a publicly displayed collection of silverware. The current building, Sheffield's fourth town hall, is located on Pinstone Street. It was designed by the...
on May DayMay DayMay Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
The town hall's gardens were named the Peace Gardens
Peace Gardens
The Peace Gardens are an inner city square in Sheffield, England. It was created as part of the Heart of the City project by Sheffield City Council....
in 1985. The site contains several memorials for Sheffielders who served in wars, including in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
and another plaque commemorating Sheffielders who gave their lives in all conflicts, including the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. It also contains a memorial to Hiroshima
Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945, and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date.For six months...
, unveiled on Hiroshima Day, 8 August 1985, in the presence of three survivors of the atomic devastation.
The Miners' Strike
UK miners' strike (1984–1985)
The UK miners' strike was a major industrial action affecting the British coal industry. It was a defining moment in British industrial relations, and its defeat significantly weakened the British trades union movement...
also took place during this period.