Councillor for Milkstone & Deeplish Ward, Rochdale | Workers Party of Great Britain

Councillor Mohammed Shafiq is a lifelong community activist, campaigner, trade unionist and anti-racist organiser who was elected as the Workers Party of Great Britain councillor for Milkstone & Deeplish Ward in Rochdale in May 2026.

Born and bred in the ward, Mohammed has spent decades working alongside local residents and community organisations, campaigning for equality, justice and investment in the communities he calls home. His election as a councillor represents the continuation of a long-standing commitment to public service and community activism.

A lifelong community campaigner

Mohammed’s commitment to campaigning began long before he became an elected councillor. He has consistently spoken out on difficult and sometimes uncomfortable issues affecting his community, including racism, Islamophobia, poverty, inequality, community safety and the protection of children.

One of the issues on which Mohammed has been particularly outspoken is the sexual exploitation and grooming of children. He has campaigned for many years for victims and survivors to receive justice and for authorities to properly investigate allegations of organised child sexual exploitation, regardless of the ethnicity, religion or background of those involved.

Mohammed has also been prepared to challenge people within his own community when he believes serious wrongdoing has not been confronted. He has spoken publicly about the need to acknowledge and address the involvement of individuals from British Pakistani backgrounds in some grooming and exploitation cases, while making clear that criminality must never be attributed to an entire community.

He regards this as part of his wider commitment to standing with victims and protecting vulnerable children. Mohammed has argued that confronting uncomfortable truths is not an attack on a community but an essential part of tackling abuse, protecting children and maintaining public trust.

Mohammed was the first prominent British Pakistani community campaigners in the UK to speak openly about the issue of grooming gangs and child sexual exploitation. His position has sometimes required him to challenge established community voices as well as political parties and public authorities, this work started in 2007.

His approach has always been that there should be one standard of justice for everyone, regardless of race, religion or background, and that protecting children must come before political convenience or community sensitivities.

This campaign sits alongside his long-standing work against racism and discrimination. Mohammed rejects attempts to use the crimes of individuals to stigmatise entire communities, while equally rejecting attempts to silence legitimate discussion of crimes because they involve members of a particular ethnic or religious community.

Trade union career

Before becoming a councillor, Mohammed built a 25-year record as a trade union activist and representative within the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), having joined the Civil Service and PCS in 2001.

Over his PCS career, Mohammed has held a number of elected and representative positions at local, group and national level. He has served as a PCS National Executive Committee member, DWP Group Executive Committee member, DWP Group Assistant Secretary and DWP Group Vice President.

He currently serves as PCS DWP Group Vice President and Chair of the PCS National Black Members Committee.

As a senior PCS representative, Mohammed has held responsibility for major areas of DWP work, including the Corporate Centre, Fraud Error and Debt, Personnel, equality and HR policies.

He has also chaired the PCS Group Personal Case Team, representing members in difficult and complex workplace cases.

A major part of his trade union work has been campaigning against racism, Islamophobia and discrimination. He has represented PCS on the TUC Race Relations Committee and has worked nationally with trade unionists and anti-racist campaigners.

Campaigner for Palestine

Mohammed is a longstanding campaigner for Palestinian rights and has advocated for Palestine for more than two decades. He has visited Palestine and has consistently raised the plight of Palestinians through his trade union, political and community campaigning.

His commitment to international justice has been an important part of his wider political activism, alongside his campaigns against racism, Islamophobia, war and discrimination.

Rochdale community activism

Mohammed’s community activism stretches back many years. In 2007, he was involved in a campaign to protect Eid lights in Rochdale, reflecting his long-standing commitment to ensuring that local communities are respected and that their faith, culture and traditions are properly represented.

He has remained closely connected to the community throughout his campaigning career, working on issues including poverty, health inequalities, housing, local services, community safety, youth facilities and investment.

Elected Councillor

In May 2026, Mohammed was elected to Rochdale Borough Council representing Milkstone & Deeplish Ward for the Workers Party of Great Britain.

He pledged to represent every resident of the ward regardless of their background, race, religion or political affiliation.

Since taking office, Mohammed has focused heavily on issues raised directly by residents, including campaigning for the full resurfacing of Ashfield Road, challenging traffic and roadworks problems, tackling fly-tipping and environmental issues, improving parks and local facilities, raising community safety concerns and pressing for greater investment in Milkstone & Deeplish.

He has also opposed increases in councillor allowances and has refused the increase, instead calling for the money to be directed towards vulnerable residents and local charities.

Mohammed believes elected representatives should be visible, accessible and accountable. He has pledged to remain available to residents day or night and to continue fighting for the ward he has called home throughout his life.

Public service

Mohammed’s political and community philosophy has been shaped by more than two decades of campaigning and representation.

Whether standing alongside victims of child sexual exploitation, challenging racism and Islamophobia, campaigning for Palestinian rights, representing trade union members or fighting for better roads and services in Milkstone & Deeplish, his approach has remained consistent: to speak up for people, challenge injustice and give a voice to those who feel they are not being heard.

He brings more than 25 years of experience as a trade unionist and community campaigner to his role as a councillor, combining grassroots activism with national experience in workplace representation, equality and anti-racism.

www.mohammedshafiq.net