Doncaster Reform UK reveal details of leadership contest
It's after the leader of the Reform group in Doncaster quit
Last updated 18th Dec 2025
Reform UK have confirmed the leadership contest to replace Councillor Guy Aston at the helm of the party’s City of Doncaster Council group will take place in 2026.
Cllr Aston resigned as Reform UK group leader on November 28, 2025, following a rebellion by his backbenches in the council chamber.
Aston had been attempting to replace fellow Reform UK councillor Jason Charity as chair of the audit committee, after Cllr Charity stepped back from the group leadership team ahead of the meeting. Aston’s changes were voted down by Reform councillors.
Charity said he resigned over a disagreement on the “direction” the group was taking under Aston’s leadership, after the latter released a joint statement with the Labour Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones supporting £57million in borrowing to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
An internal email to Aston’s party colleagues confirming his resignation as group leader said he had received “several unpleasant, vitriolic texts that border on abuse” from his own councillors.
He wrote: “While I would expect such behaviour from the extreme wing of our opponents, it is disappointing to see it coming from my own side, Reform councillors, and a few others. I believed Reform was better than this; clearly, I was mistaken.
“As a result, with immediate effect, I am resigning as the leader of Reform in Doncaster. I will focus my time and efforts on my ward instead.”
Reform UK later confirmed that Aston’s deputy, Cllr Karl Hughes, would take over as group leader on an interim basis until a vote was taken to choose a successor.
Confirming some of the details of the leadership contest, a party spokesperson confirmed they hoped the vote would go ahead in January 2026, but would not provide any specific dates.
The spokesperson said: “The group will make nominations for a leader and the group will vote. The candidate with the most votes will lead the group. These are the standard rules for all of our group leadership elections.”
Some Reform UK councillors, speaking anonymously to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), said there had not been any manoeuvres from prospective candidates to shore up support to this point.
The LDRS asked these sources who they would like to see run for group leader, with the most common names appearing amongst the small sample being Neil Wood, councillor for Stainforth and Barnby Dun; Rachel Reed, councillor for Conisbrough and former deputy group leader; Jason Charity, who also represents Conisbrough; and Karl Hughes, the interim leader and councillor for Stainforth and Barnby Dun.