Reform councillor quits two months after election

A close up of a turquoise coloured rosette with the words reform UK written in the centre. The rosette is pinned to the lapel of a black suit jacket being worn with a white shirt and turquoise tie.Image source, PA
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A Reform UK councillor has resigned just two months after being elected to Doncaster Council.

Samuel Booth was elected in the Bentley ward alongside Reform's Rebecca Booth and Labour's James Church at the May elections.

A spokesperson for the Doncaster Reform UK group said Booth had resigned for "personal reasons".

Doncaster Council is yet to issue any information on the timeline for a by-election to elect Booth's successor.

A crowd of Reform UK supporters, many wearing turquoise ties and rosettes, are cheering and clapping at an election count
Image caption,

Reform UK celebrating winning seats on Doncaster Council in May 2025

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, council chief executive Damian Allen has written to councillors notifying them that a "notice of vacancy" will be published for the seat.

The council website displays one seat in Bentley as having a "vacancy" and Samuel Booth's profile now loads an error message.

Doncaster Council has been approached for more information.

Booth's resignation will drop Reform to 35 sitting councillors, a loss of two since they swept to a majority with 37.

In June, the party suspended the whip from Mark Broadhurst for Hatfield ward over "unacceptable" posts he had made to social media.

Broadhurst still sits as an independent councillor.

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