"As bad as each other": Voters in Doncaster less than impressed with politics ahead of by-election

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) spent an hour speaking with locals on High Street in Bentley about the upcoming vote on August 21, 2025.

Paul, aged 61, said he was “unsure” on who he would vote for, despite having voted for Labour throughout his life.

“I have always voted Labour,” he said, “But they aren’t interested in the miners and workers any more.”

The LDRS asked Paul if he would vote for another party, particularly Reform UK, who won two council seats in Bentley ward in May 2025.

“They’re all as bad as each other,” he said, “They don’t stick to what they say and it’s wrong. They promise all sorts and they don’t stick to it.”

Despite being clearly disillusioned with politics, Paul said he would be voting for “whoever is for us”.

The vast majority of people who spoke briefly with the LDRS in Bentley were unaware the by-election was even taking place.

25-year-old Keegan has never voted and didn’t know it was coming. He spoke to the LDRS just outside St Peter’s Church, a few hundred metres away from Ed Miliband MP’s constituency office.

Despite his disinterest in politics, he said that even though the by-election is expected to cost the authority at least £25,000, it can “only be a good thing” if it brings a good councillor to the ward.

The by-election in Bentley was called after the resignation of Samuel Booth.

Booth was elected for Reform UK in May 2025 and resigned after just over two months in the role for “personal reasons”.

It leaves Rebecca Booth, Reform UK, and James Church, Labour, as the serving councillors for Bentley.

Another local resident, 65-year-old James, said he didn’t vote in May, but did vote at the 2024 General Election for Labour.

He said: “The only reason I didn’t vote was because I had to walk 20 minutes to get there. I’ve got a disability.”

He was unsure if he’d be about to vote in the by-election for the same reason, but said he’d vote for Labour if he could.

“I would definitely never vote for Reform,” he said, “They’re right-wing conservatives dressed up as liberals.”

James added he didn’t like Sir Keir Starmer, the prime minister, either but “you can’t have everything”.

Voters in Bentley will head to the polls on August 21, 2025. Photo ID is now required at polling stations in order to vote.

The deadline for nominations in the by-election is 4pm on July 25, 2025. The full list of candidates will be published after the deadline.