Shaffaq Mohammed, Baron Mohammed of Tinsley, MBE (born 21 July 1972) is a British politician and life peer. He served as a Liberal Democrats Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Yorkshire and the Humber from 2019 until Brexit in 2020.[1] He stood as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Sheffield Hallam in the House of Commons at the 2024 general election, coming second to Olivia Blake of Labour.[2] In February 2025, he became a member of the House of Lords.

Early life

Mohammed was born on 21 July 1972 in Mirpur, a city in Pakistani administered Kashmir.[3] He was aged four when his family moved to the United Kingdom.[4] In April 1977 he moved to Sheffield and studied at Park House school and later on graduated from the University of Sheffield.[5]

Political career

Sheffield City Council

Between 2004 and 2014 Mohammed served as the Liberal Democrat councillor for Broomhill Ward on Sheffield City Council. He contested Crookes Ward in 2014 and was defeated. He returned as a councillor for Ecclesall Ward in 2016 and was re-elected in 2018.

Mohammed was elected as leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Sheffield City Council in May 2011.[6] He lost this position when he lost his seat as a councillor in 2014. Following his return to the council he was re-elected as group leader in May 2016.[7]

In the 2015 Dissolution Honours, Mohammed was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) "for political service" as a councillor on Sheffield City Council.[8]

European Parliament

Mohammed served as a Liberal Democrats Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Yorkshire and the Humber from 2019 to 2020.[9] He lost his seat when the United Kingdom left the European Union on 31 January 2020.

UK Parliament

House of Commons

Mohammed stood as the Liberal Democrat candidate in the 2016 Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough by-election, where he finished third with 6.1% of the vote.[10]

Mohammed was the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Sheffield Central constituency in the 2017 general election, coming fourth with 5.1% of the vote.[11]

Mohammed was selected in 2023 to contest former Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg's seat of Sheffield Hallam at the 2024 general election.[2] Sheffield Hallam was considered to be a marginal seat between Labour and the Liberal Democrats.[12] Mohammed finished second with 30.4% of the vote.

House of Lords

In December 2024, as part of the 2024 Political Peerages, it was announced that Mohammed would receive a life peerage to sit in the House of Lords.[13] He became a member of the House of Lords on 21 February 2025, where he sits as a Liberal Democrat peer.[14]

References

  1. ^ "The UK's European elections 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b Pack, Mark (23 March 2023). "Sheffield Lib Dems select Shaffaq Mohammed for Hallam". Mark Pack. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  3. ^ "Shaffaq MOHAMMED | MEPs". www.europarl.europa.eu. European Parliament. 21 July 1972. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Verbatim report of proceedings - Situation in Kashmir (debate)". www.europarl.europa.eu. 17 September 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  5. ^ "Ann Widdecombe and Brexit Party out of order comparing EU to slave masters – Yorkshire MEP Shaffaq Mohammed". www.yorkshirepost.co.uk. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  6. ^ "Shaffaq Mohammed writes: From a boy in Kashmir – to Leader of Sheffield Lib Dems". Liberal Democrat Voice. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Shaffaq Mohammed is back as leader of Sheffield Lib Dems". Mark Pack. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  8. ^ "No. 61359". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 September 2015. p. 17615.
  9. ^ "The UK's European elections 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  10. ^ "Brightside and Hillsborough by-election result 2016". Sheffield City Council. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  11. ^ "2017 General Election: The 8 candidates in Sheffield Central". Who Can I Vote For? by Democracy Club. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
  12. ^ "Sheffield Hallam Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate stands down". BBC News. 6 January 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Political Peerages December 2024". GOV.UK. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  14. ^ "Parliamentary career for Lord Mohammed of Tinsley". MPs and Lords. UK Parliament. Retrieved 22 February 2025.


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