Reform UK accuse Labour of ‘dishonest electioneering’ after former Doncaster Rovers owner's endorsement

At a press conference in Doncaster on Monday (April 7), Farage and mayoral candidate Alexander Jones were joined by the former owner of Doncaster Rovers, John Ryan.

Mr Ryan said: “Decade after decade after decade we have had a Labour council, and what have they done?”

He added: “Some people still vote for them. Talk about turkeys voting for Chrismas.”

He told Reform UK supporters he was a “very proud Doncastrian, although I have not lived in the borough for many years”.

It comes after Mr Ryan appeared to have already endorsed a Labour candidate in Bessacarr ward, where Reform UK have fielded three candidates.

Election literature for Labour’s Lee Mulholland included a quote from Mr Ryan.

It read: “As an old Cantley lad I see the great work Lee has done for the area where I grew up – keep it up!”

When approached by the Local Democracy Reporting Service for a comment on Mr Ryan’s previous endorsement, a Reform UK spokesperson accused Labour of “dishonest electioneering”.

They said: “Mr Mulholland is an employee of John Ryan and these comments were made in relation to his work.

“Mr Ryan has never endorsed a Labour candidate. He didn’t even know he was standing.”

A Labour spokesperson responded: “Lee reached out personally to John in February they spoke on the phone, and he agreed to endorse Lee as a candidate, not the Labour Party more broadly.

“Lee was open and honest about his support when his leaflet was created and respects his current views and thanks John for the support he showed him at the time.”

Earlier on in the press conference, Alexander Jones said it was an honour to have Mr Ryan’s support and added he would be entering into a “contract with Doncaster” if he was elected mayor.

He said that would involve being a mayor who does not act “in their own interests” and listens to people in the city.

Following Nick Fletcher’s attack at the Doncaster Chamber of Commerce hustings that no other candidate had released a full manifesto, Mr Jones said such documents are “word salad” and urged people to vote for “a new beginning” in May.

Farage called Jones the “fresh faced look of change”, adding Reform UK will have shocked the political establishment should the party win in May.