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“You cannot mend a broken system with the same hands that caused the damage,” shouted Richie Vallance, his voice amplified through a megaphone from his mobility scooter. “Let’s restore Doncaster to its former glory,” he called out to the people in the city center, most of whom chose to pass him by without response.
Vallance is running as an independent candidate for mayor in the upcoming local elections scheduled for May 1st, coinciding with a crucial vote for all 55 council seats in the city. This small South Yorkshire town has become a significant battleground, presenting an opportunity to assess Labour’s durability against the growing momentum of Reform UK.
Recent polling data indicates that Nigel Farage’s party is gaining traction, making strides in public support. In Doncaster, it stands a strong chance of displacing Labour, which has maintained its hold on power for close to half a century. A recent survey by Electoral Calculus for the Telegraph suggested that Reform could secure 32 out of the council’s 55 seats.
“It’s a wonderful town, full of untapped potential,” Vallance remarked, expressing some alignment with Reform and mentioning his previous interest in candidacy with the party. “I was a strong advocate for Brexit,” he noted, emphasizing the need to address immigration issues in Doncaster.
Concerns regarding immigration were evident among several individuals in the city on Wednesday. Many expressed their belief that it has negatively affected their community, particularly in relation to the 688 asylum seekers currently accommodated in Doncaster, according to recent Home Office statistics.
“I understand there are responsibilities, but Doncaster has changed, and not for the better,” reflected a local resident.
This narrative aligns with what Reform aims to capitalize on, further evidenced by Farage’s recent visit to support the party’s mayoral candidate, Alexander Jones.
However, the reception toward Reform among some Doncaster citizens was not universally positive, with discontent also directed towards Labour. Many voiced their feelings of decline in the city, attributing it to a financially constrained council.
Labour’s current mayor, Ros Jones, who has held her position since 2013, recognizes the challenges posed by substantial budget cuts enforced by the central government.
“I’ve had to make extremely tough choices regarding council services throughout the years of austerity, prioritizing frontline services while maintaining the lowest council tax rate in Yorkshire,” stated Jones.
While she has her supporters on the streets—one couple mentioned being “content” with the council and labeled Farage a “mini-Trump”—she grapples with the lingering reputation of the council.
Early in her tenure, she managed to lift the local authority out of special measures following critical media coverage that portrayed Doncaster as the “worst council in Britain”, a stigma that remains.
Labour may also encounter a brand recognition dilemma, as some locals admitted they were only vaguely aware of Keir Starmer. This could suggest a shift in voter sentiment, though it does not necessarily guarantee that Farage is a well-known alternative, as some residents admitted to not recognizing his name either.
“Never heard of him,” remarked Shelly, who was shopping at the Frenchgate center with her friends Siobhan and Jade.
“Was he on a reality show?” Jade inquired. “He seemed decent, but I’m unclear about his political stance.”
Despite their unfamiliarity with Reform, the trio largely agreed with the party’s immigration policies. “We need to prioritize British needs before others,” Siobhan asserted. “Why are we bringing in migrants when we can’t properly support our own?”
Shelly added, “I hesitate to express these views because they may come across as racist.”
The group felt that recent arrivals were receiving more favorable treatment compared to local citizens, particularly noting that migrants are provided hotel accommodations without the requirement to work.
While the UK has legal obligations to house asylum seekers, who are restricted from employment during the asylum process, the women conveyed a desire for improved support for British citizens.
“The future looks grim for the next generation,” Siobhan expressed.
A shared challenge among all political parties will be to engage voters in the election. Many individuals spoken to in Doncaster seemed unaware that local elections were approaching or indicated that they did not participate in voting.
“I’m not interested in politics,” one man mentioned. “Whoever leads, good luck to them.”
Naomi Nache, originally from Romania, and Michael Yip, hailing from Scunthorpe, moved to Doncaster for work at an Amazon warehouse. They are contemplating relocating to a larger city due to the limited activities available in Doncaster, particularly in terms of the arts.
Safety concerns resonate with Nache, who described feeling uneasy going out alone. “It can feel a bit intimidating. I wouldn’t walk around the town center by myself,” she admitted.
Vallance has focused his campaign on public safety and addressing antisocial behavior, drawing on his own experiences. He received a conviction in 2016 for his controversial alter ego, the “Donny Klown,” which he used to draw attention to social issues.
“I frightened a lot of people, and I regret that. I realized I approached it the wrong way,” Vallance reflected. “I’ve shed the mask years ago. My goal now is to reveal who the real clowns really are.”
Source
www.theguardian.com