Nigel Farage urged to stand as MP in Doncaster and make city 'Capital of Brexit'

Local campaigner Michael Felse wants Mr Farage to contest the Doncaster Central seat at the next General Election and has said he will invite him personally to stand in the sead, currently held by Labour’s Dame Rosie Winterton who is standing down.

Mr Felse, who stood as an independent candidate at the 2009 Mayoral Election and who has also launched a campaign to see under-threat Doncaster Sheffield Airport renamed after Covid lockdown NHS hero Captain Sir Tom Moore, says Mr Farage is the ideal candidate to rescue the Finningley air base.

He said: “I am formally asking Nigel Farage to stand in the next General Election for Doncaster Central with Save Doncaster Airport as the main independent theme.

"Doncaster as Brexit City of the North will boost air traffic to see Captain Tom Airport, flying the flag right across the globe.”

“A strong voice is a must to future shape our great new city and to save the airport.”

It is not the first time Mr Farage has been urged to stand in Doncaster, with Mr Felse backing a previous campaign to get him to stand in the town in 2017.

Six years ago, Mr Felse said: "I urge Doncaster to formerly invite Nigel to stand in Doncaster. It deserves to be the Capital of Brexit. Nigel for Doncaster I say - I know Doncaster will give Nigel it's very best."

Mr Farage has strong connections with Doncaster, with UKIP's annual conference being held in Doncaster on several occasions in recent years.

In 2014 he said: "It's no coincidence that we're holding our conference here. We are now parking our tanks on the Labour Party's lawn."

And in 2019, he came to Doncaster in his Brexit Party battle bus, meeting activists at the Earl of Doncaster Hotel in Bennetthorpe.

He has stood for election to the House of Commons seven times but has never been elected.

In the 2016, EU Referendum, Doncaster had one of the region's highest out votes with 69% backing a leave vote.