Video: Ros Jones re-elected as Doncaster mayor - and takes swipe at PM Keir Starmer

The 75-year-old, who first came to power in 2013, was elected with 23,805 votes – with Reform UK’s Alexander Jones running her a close second, polling 23,107 votes.

Labour supporters cheered her re-election at the count at Doncaster Racecourse – but there were also sighs of relief after a close run finale to a brusing and sometimes bitter contest which saw Labour, Reform and Conservative candidate Nick Fletcher, who finished a distant third, exchanging fiery words throughout the campaign.

After the result was announced, she said Doncaster had "bucked the national trend, beaten the polls and returned a Labour mayor" – but also had words for PM Sir Keir Starmer.

She urged the Prime Minister to "listen to the people" following the election results and said she had written to Sir Keir after changes to the winter fuel allowance were first mooted.

"I said it was wrong and therefore I stepped in immediately to use our household support fund to ensure no one in Doncaster went cold during the winter,” she said.

She said the election results demonstrated the government needed to be "listening to the man, woman and businesses on the street".

"The people of Doncaster know how hard life can be.

"I think they [the government] need to look again as putting up the cost of national insurance is hitting some of the smaller businesses and of course the PIP which many people are worried about now."

FULL RESULTS – DONCASTER 2025 MAYORAL ELECTION (winner in bold)

Ros Jones (Labour) – 23,805 (elected)

Alexander Jones (Reform UK) – 23,107

Nick Fletcher (Conservative) – 18,982

Julie Buckley (Green Party) – 2,449

Andrew Walmsley (Yorkshire Party) – 1,164

David Bettney (Social Democratic Party) - 929

Mihai Melenciuc (Liberal Democrats) – 895

Frank Calladine (British Democrats) – 448

Ashan Jamil (Workers Party of Great Britain) – 434

Andy Hiles (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) – 393

Richie Vallance (Independent) – 245

Doug Wright (Independent) -157

Total spoilt: 398

Total electorate eligible to vote: 227,496

Total number of votes: 73,406

Turnout: 32.27%