Doncaster Conservatives announce mayoral candidate three years before election

Hart stood for the Conservatives in the 2021 mayoral election, losing out by 10,000 votes to Mayor Ros Jones. Jones has held the position since 2013.

Hart said: “We did a great job last time round but unfortunately under Labour control Doncaster is still being left behind.

"It’s fantastic to be selected so early and I’m going to use this time to speak to residents and businesses about the changes they want to see in Doncaster.”

Doncaster has historically been a majority Labour area.

In the 2019 election, the Conservatives made a historic gain when Nick Fletcher was elected as the MP for Don Valley, making him the only Conservative MP in the area.

In response to the selection, Mayor Jones said: “The next Mayoral election is not scheduled until 2025, my focus is on supporting the residents and businesses of Doncaster through this cost of living crisis and predicted economic recession, I would suggest that local politicians from all parties should do the same, this is going to be a very difficult winter.”

Mayor Jones lists her priorities as; a greener Doncaster, restart and recovery, improving transport, improving safety and public health.

Chairman Councillor for Sprotbrough Glenn Bluff supported the selection: “Doncaster is a very different place today than it was 40 years ago and we need a Mayor to move us on, into the 21st Century in a modern, vibrant, thriving city and it is a hard, long journey that is why we have selected James Hart so early.”

Leader of the Conservative Group on Doncaster Council, who is Steve Cox, agreed with the comments: “It was fantastic to hear the positive forward-looking approach that James has to take Doncaster forward.

"The doom andcgloom culture needs to stop and move on, it was also great to hear about incentives to level up Doncaster.

“Labour has been in control of Doncaster for far too long, nothing has changed in some areas in all this time.”

‘Levelling up’ was a key policy in the Conservatives’ 2019 election manifesto, aimed increasing productivity in disparaged areas of the country. Doncaster secured an £18.6m grant from the government in 2021 to improve its town centre.

However, Mayor Jones criticised the scheme for not going far enough, stating that: “This is but a small start of what is needed to level up the whole of Doncaster.

"We have suffered more than most at the hands of over 10 years of austerity, where council spending power has been cut by £107 million per year since 2010.”

Doncaster’s elected mayor role differs from the civic mayor, which is Ian Pearson.

While the elected mayor leads the council and a cabinet of eight members, the civic mayor is a ceremonial title.

Doncaster’s elected mayor role was formed in 2002.

The next mayoral election will take place in the spring of 2025, alongside a number of elections in different regions and by-elections.

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Dominic Brown, editor.