'Not thrilled': Nigel Farage responds to Doncaster Reform group's leadership changes

Nigel Farage has admitted he is “not thrilled” about repeated changes to Doncaster Reform’s leadership and the loss of multiple councillors elsewhere – but played down concerns about the party’s performance in local government by highlighting its record in nearby Lincolnshire.

The Reform group on City of Doncaster Council has had three leaders in less than a year, with the resignation of Guy Aston in November 2025 coming after internal divisions relating to the party’s approach to the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

He was replaced by Craig Ward, who was then ousted himself in May 2026 following a leadership challenge which resulted in him being replaced by Howard Rimmer.

With Mr Farage in Doncaster on Thursday for a political rally where he predicted the next General Election could happen in May next year, The Yorkshire Post asked about the changes in leadership locally.

He initially replied: “How many Prime Ministers have we been through in the last 10 years?”

When pressed on whether Reform is ready for national government given the changes in Doncaster along with councillors elsewhere standing down and losing the whip, Mr Farage added: "It happens in every party. I’d rather it hadn’t happened. I’m not thrilled about it.

“But I look just down the road at Greater Lincolnshire, at Lincolnshire County Council – I think we are doing a very good job.”

Andrea Jenkyns is mayor of Greater Lincolnshire, while Reform holds control of Lincolnshire County Council.

In Yorkshire, eight Reform councillors have either had been suspended or resigned for a variety of reasons since May this year.

Sheffield councillor Nathaniel Menday was suspended following the emergence of past social media posts in which he shared Nazi imagery.

Now sitting as an independent, he recently told the Sheffield Star: “Honestly, being called a Nazi [..]. is obviously sub-optimal for your mental health, but I think it makes you stronger as a person. I am stronger from the experience and I’m ready to crack on.”

Bradford councillor Daniel Devaney, who described Muslims as “pure scum” on social media, is now an independent having initially been elected as a Reform representative in May.

Two Reform councillors in Wakefield quit to serve as independents within weeks of being elected, while a third councillor was recently placed under “internal investigation” and resigned as a committee chair.

Two Reform councillors in Kirklees have also resigned, while in Barnsley a Reform councillor resigned eight weeks after being elected for personal reasons, triggering a by-election.