Political Showdown: Reform Candidate's Eligibility Crisis Averted!

In a recent development, Dame Andrea Jenkyns, the Reform UK’s candidate for the upcoming mayoral election in Greater Lincolnshire, has been cleared to run after a challenge regarding her eligibility was dismissed. The challenge stemmed from questions about her primary residence and whether she was appropriately registered on the electoral roll.

The North Kesteven District Council’s electoral registration officer concluded that Dame Andrea is indeed using her Bassingham residence as her primary home, allowing her to stand in the election scheduled for May 1.

Following the decision, Dame Andrea expressed her frustrations, stating, “From the start, this has been a political hit job aimed at smearing my candidacy,” reinforcing her commitment to the community she considers her home. According to Electoral Commission guidelines, candidates must either reside in, work in, own, or rent property in the area, or be registered on the electoral roll to qualify.

Dame Andrea was newly listed on the North Kesteven electoral roll, having moved back to Lincolnshire at the age of seven and earlier serving both as a county councillor and Conservative MP for Morley and Outwood. Although she splits her time with a home in Yorkshire, where her son attends school, the electoral officer stated there was no evidence to suggest she was ineligible to be registered at her Bassingham address.

This ruling comes amidst a YouGov poll indicating that Dame Andrea is currently leading in the race to become the first mayor of Greater Lincolnshire, hinting at a significant political landscape shift following her recent defection to Reform UK from the Conservative party.