Cllr Ehthesham Haque

26/08/2026

I sometimes feel like a broken record talking about racism.

Another interview. Another incident. Another reminder that, for some people, the colour of my skin is still enough to make me a target.

And I won’t pretend it doesn’t get tiring.

I’m saddened every time it happens, but I’m also filled with hope by what happens next. The people who speak up. The people who challenge it. The people who refuse to let hatred and division speak for them.

I’m also very aware of something else.

If I wasn’t involved in politics and putting myself out there publicly, I probably wouldn’t receive anywhere near the amount of racial abuse that I do.

So why keep doing it?

Because if people like me are driven out of public life by abuse, then the people sending it have won.

I’m not giving them that victory.

Politics is becoming increasingly divided and angry, and we need to be incredibly careful about where that road takes us. We can disagree passionately about immigration, government, councils, political parties or anything else.

But someone’s race should never become ammunition.

I’ll keep calling it out when I see it. I’ll keep having the uncomfortable conversations. And I’ll keep standing up, even when I’m thoroughly sick of having to talk about it.

Because if I don’t, then who will?

Let’s never allow disagreement to become hatred. 🇬🇧

Councillor Ehthesham Haque says he has to regularly hide racist comments on his his page.

24/08/2026

🔥 𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌 𝐔𝐊: 𝐓𝐖𝐎 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒, 𝐓𝐖𝐎 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒

You really can’t have your cake and eat it.

Sunderland’s Reform UK administration has now been running the Council for over 100 days — yet this weekend we’ve seen two very different messages about the same Summer Series event.

🏙️ On Sunderland City Council’s official page, Reform’s Cabinet Member responsible for Culture, Tourism and Heritage described the Summer Series as a “fantastic opportunity”, welcoming thousands of people into Sunderland, showcasing our city and supporting city-centre businesses.

Sounds great — and I agree. Events like this are good for Sunderland.

But then came the traffic…

🚗 After congestion and road closures caused frustration, Reform UK Sunderland published a completely different statement on Facebook — blaming the previous Labour administration for the arrangements.

So which is it?

When thousands of people are filling Keel Square, Reform wants to celebrate the success.

When thousands of people are sitting in traffic, apparently it's Labour's fault.

You simply cannot have it both ways.

And even if some of these arrangements were inherited, Reform has been running Sunderland City Council for over 100 days.

If they believed the traffic arrangements were inadequate, they've had over 100 days to raise concerns, review the plans and look at what could be improved.

Instead, when the disruption happened, their response was to blame Labour.

At some point, you have to stop pointing backwards and start governing.

Major events bring huge benefits to Sunderland, but they also bring challenges. Running the Council means taking responsibility for both.

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 — 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭.

After more than 100 days, Reform UK is the administration now.

Take the credit if you want.

But take the responsibility too.

04/08/2026

🏡 **Today I exercised my legal right as an elected Ward Councillor** to formally request that planning application **26/01572/HMOA** be referred to Sunderland's Planning and Highways Committee.

📞📧 This follows a number of residents contacting me by phone and email to express their concerns about the proposal.

🚗 One of the biggest concerns is parking. The application proposes **just one parking space for a six-bedroom HMO** in an area where parking is already a significant issue. Residents have told me they are worried about the additional pressure this could place on surrounding streets and the impact on those who already struggle to find parking.

🏛️ Given the level of public interest and the material planning issues raised, I believe this application should be determined transparently by elected councillors at a public Planning and Highways Committee meeting, rather than under delegated powers.

💬 **If you wish to support, object to, or comment on the application, you can do so via the Council's planning portal https://online-applications.sunderland.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=TIBD8IBBGFN00&activeTab=summary

📝 My formal request has now been submitted to the Council, and I'll continue to keep residents updated as the application progresses.

03/08/2026

This was the response to a simple post about improving parking safety on Chester Road.

The post had nothing to do with immigration, race or religion. It was about making parking safer for residents.

Yet the comments quickly descended into attacks about Muslims, foreigners, ethnicity and whether people from certain backgrounds should even be councillors.

Reading the recent Sunderland Echo article about councillors facing death threats, intimidation and abuse made me reflect on just how much public discourse has changed. Abuse directed at elected representatives is becoming increasingly normalised, and in many cases it's openly racist.

As councillors, we should expect scrutiny. We should expect criticism. People are entitled to disagree with our decisions and challenge us—that's democracy.

What is not acceptable is judging someone because of the colour of their skin, their ethnicity or their religion. That isn't political debate. It's racism.

The people who wrote these comments should be ashamed of themselves. If your response to a post about improving parking is to attack someone because they're Muslim or because of their heritage, then the problem isn't the post—it's your prejudice.
Something has changed over the last few months. People who would once have kept these views to themselves now seem comfortable posting racist comments publicly, even on a simple post about improving parking on Chester Road.

Sunderland is a better city than these comments suggest. The overwhelming majority of people are decent and respectful. We shouldn't allow a vocal minority to make racism seem normal or acceptable.

01/08/2026

30/07/2026

🚗 Tackling unsafe parking on Chester Road remains one of my top priorities.

This evening, I and Cllr Comer joined Sunderland City Council's Parking Enforcement Officers on patrol along Chester Road to see first-hand the issues they deal with and to support ongoing efforts to improve road safety.

During the patrol, officers:
✅ Issued several Penalty Charge Notices to vehicles parked illegally.
✅ Spoke with motorists to explain the parking restrictions and encourage safer parking.
✅ Helped raise awareness of why these restrictions are in place—to keep everyone safe.

Cllr Comer and I also took the opportunity to speak with local businesses about keeping the pavement clear when displaying produce outside their shops. Clear, unobstructed footpaths are essential for wheelchair users, parents with pushchairs, and anyone with mobility difficulties.

This work builds on the improvements already taking place. Earlier this week, new pedestrian railings were installed along Chester Road, and by the end of August a further 16 bollards will be installed at key locations to help prevent dangerous and inconsiderate parking.

These measures aren't about penalising drivers for the sake of it—they're about improving visibility, protecting pedestrians, and making Chester Road a safer place for everyone.

A big thank you to the Parking Enforcement team for their work this evening, and to everyone who stopped to speak with us. I'll continue working with residents, businesses and council officers to deliver practical improvements that make a real difference.

29/07/2026

Work has finally started on Chester Road! 🚧

It's great to see the first phase of improvements now underway, with new railings being installed on the opposite side of Chester Road.

This is just the start. By the end of August, a further 16 bollards are planned for installation to help make parking along Chester Road safer and better organised, while improving safety for everyone using the area.

Thank you to residents and businesses for your patience while these works are carried out. I'll continue to keep everyone updated as the project progresses.

28/07/2026

Last week I had the privilege of presenting the funds raised during my mayoral year to my chosen charities, Hopespring and Love, Amelia.

Together, we raised an incredible £26,310.05, with £13,155.03 going to Hopespring and £13,155.02 going to Love, Amelia.

When choosing my mayoral charities, I wanted to focus on tackling child poverty and supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our city.

💜 Love, Amelia does incredible work ensuring that babies and children have access to essential items such as clothing, nappies, school uniforms, cots and prams. For many families facing financial hardship, these items can make a world of difference and help ensure every child has the best possible start in life.

💙 Hopespring supports people experiencing homelessness and those facing crisis, helping them rebuild their lives through practical support, accommodation and guidance. By helping adults overcome homelessness and hardship, they also help create more stable futures for children and families.

I'm incredibly proud that, thanks to the generosity of residents, local businesses, community groups and everyone who supported the Mayor's Charity Appeal, we've been able to make a meaningful contribution to two organisations that change lives every day.

A huge thank you to everyone who donated, attended fundraising events, volunteered or supported the appeal in any way. This achievement belongs to our whole community.

Finally, thank you to the dedicated staff and volunteers at Hopespring and Love, Amelia. The compassion and commitment you show every day is inspiring, and I know these funds will go towards making a real difference for people across Sunderland.

Together, we've helped give hope to those in need and a brighter future for children and families across our city. ❤️

24/07/2026

𝐋𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬

Reform UK Sunderland published a post accusing me of spreading "misinformation" about Culture House. The post claimed I had said that no Reform councillors had visited Culture House and criticised me for leaving an Economic Prosperity Scrutiny Committee meeting early.

That isn't what I said.

My original post referred specifically to the Economic Prosperity Scrutiny Committee visit, where I wrote:

"Despite Reform holding 9 of the 12 seats on the Economic Prosperity Scrutiny Committee and organising the visit, none of their councillors attended."

That is a very different statement from claiming that no Reform councillors had ever visited Culture House.

The post also criticised me for leaving the scrutiny meeting early but left out some important context.

The meeting arrangements were changed repeatedly. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟒.𝟑𝟎𝐩𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝟓.𝟑𝟎𝐩𝐦. Those changes created a clash with a pre-arranged ward surgery that I had already committed to with local residents.

Rather than cancelling on residents, I attended the scrutiny meeting, took part in the discussion, asked my questions and then left to honour that commitment.

I've attached the council correspondence so people can see for themselves that the meeting arrangements changed several times. I believe it's important that people are able to look at the evidence and make up their own minds.

What I also find telling is that, despite their lengthy response and personal attack, Reform still haven't addressed the original question: why did none of their councillors on the Economic Prosperity Scrutiny Committee attend the committee visit they had organised? If they believe scrutiny is important, residents deserve an answer to that question.

Politics should be about honest debate and accountability. We won't always agree, and that's healthy in a democracy, but we should at least debate what was actually said—not a rewritten version of it.

I'll continue to scrutinise decisions, ask difficult questions when needed and, above all, keep my commitments to the people of Barnes & Thornhill.

🌹

22/07/2026

📍 Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting Culture House Sunderland as part of the Economic Prosperity Scrutiny Committee.

I came away genuinely impressed. Culture House is an amazing project and something Sunderland can be incredibly proud of. From the state-of-the-art library spaces and creative learning areas to the podcast studios, makerspaces and cutting-edge technology, it's a fantastic example of investing in the future of our city.

I particularly enjoyed meeting the robot 🤖 and visiting the stunning Sky Garden 🌿, which offers incredible views across Sunderland. It's a modern, innovative space that I hope residents of all ages will enjoy for many years to come.

I'm especially proud that this project was started under a Labour administration, with a vision to create a world-class cultural and learning hub for Sunderland. Seeing that vision become a reality is something our city should celebrate.

The visit was organised for members of the Economic Prosperity Scrutiny Committee. Visits like this are an essential part of being an elected councillor. They allow us to inspect projects first-hand, ask detailed questions, challenge where necessary and make suggestions for improvement. Most importantly, this is how we scrutinise how taxpayers' money is being spent and make sure public investment is delivering value for the people of Sunderland. You simply can't do that from a committee report alone.

𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟗 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟏𝟐 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭, 𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝. That was disappointing. Scrutiny only works when councillors turn up, engage with officers, ask questions and represent the people who elected them.

A huge thank you to everyone at Culture House for taking the time to show us around and answer our questions. I have no doubt this will become one of Sunderland's flagship community facilities and somewhere future generations will be proud of.

🤖📚🌿