Reform UK Doncaster: Senior councillor resigns from top group over leader's 'agreement' with Labour

Councillor Jason Charity, who represents Conisbrough for Reform UK, has been a crucial part of leading the fledgling political party after it first entered the council chamber at the May 2025 local elections.

In a letter to fellow Reform UK councillors, Cllr Charity said: “I have resigned from the Reform Doncaster leadership team, effective immediately.

“I stood for Reform because I wanted to make a real difference and play my part in fixing a system that too often fails to be open, honest, or accountable. I have always believed that our strength as a group comes from being straight with one another, sharing information, and taking difficult positions when they are right, not when they are easy.

“In recent weeks, it has become clear that the leadership direction and the level of transparency given to the group do not meet the standard I believe you deserve.”

Charity’s move to the Reform UK backbenches comes after the group leader, Cllr Guy Aston, released a joint statement with the Labour Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones.

In the statement, Jones and Aston said they were “in agreement” on the need to borrow £57million to assist with the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA).

The move has prompted backlash from Reform UK councillors, unhappy with leadership’s decision to “get into bed” with Labour.

As chair of the council’s Audit Committee, Cllr Charity was one of two councillors able to read the council’s airport business case earlier in the year, which is confidential due to the commercial details it included.

In September 2025, Charity told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the business case for DSA “does not stand up to serious examination”. However, due to the confidentiality of the document, he was not able to expand on how he reached that conclusion.

In his letter to Reform councillors, Charity re-iterated his to “Reform’s values and to the residents who put their trust in us”.

“I will continue to work constructively with all of you, but I cannot continue in a leadership role under the current structure,” he finished.

The stepping down of Cllr Charity, who handled most public communications, including with the media, for the group until a re-shuffle following Cllr Rachel Reed’s resignation as deputy leader, will add to the political headache for Cllr Aston.

Following the release of the joint statement, a Reform UK councillor told the LDRS that Aston had no “back bone” and said watchers should “bring popcorn” to Thursday’s full council meeting, where members are expected to back the £57m of borrowing.

In response to Cllr Charity’s departure from the leadership group, Cllr Aston said: “I am aware of the resignation issued today and I want to thank Councillor Charity for his past contribution to the team.

“Reform Doncaster remains united, focused, and determined to deliver the accountability and honesty that this city deserves. We wish Councillor Charity well, but we will not be distracted from the job residents elected us to do.

“We fully respect his decision. If he no longer feels aligned with the direction of the group, we respect his choice to step away.”