Challenge to Reform UK Lincolnshire mayor candidate is rejected
Dame Andrea Jenkyns, who served as a minister in the last Conservative government, is standing as Reform’s candidate in the Lincolnshire mayoralty.
Reform UK’s candidate to be the mayor of Greater Lincolnshire is entitled to stand in the contest, after she was challenged over her right to do so, an electoral official has said.
Dame Andrea Jenkyns, who served as a minister in the last Conservative government, is standing as Reform’s candidate in the election, which will take place on May 1 alongside other local polls.
The victor of the contest will be the first directly elected mayor to oversee a new combined authority in Lincolnshire with devolved powers.
Dame Andrea faced a formal objection to her candidacy which claimed she did not live within Lincolnshire, a requirement to stand in the contest.
The Reform candidate had moved to an address in the county in February 2025 and registered to vote there.
She splits her time between there and a home in Yorkshire, where her son is in school, and so the challenge claimed she did not primarily reside in Lincolnshire.
But a determination from North Kesteven District Council’s electoral registration officer found that Dame Andrea was using her Lincolnshire home as her primary residence.
“I do not make any determination that the subject was not entitled to be registered in respect of the address or has ceased to be resident at the address.
“Accordingly, she is entitled to remain on the electoral register at that address,” the determination seen by the PA news agency said.
While the council official acknowledged Dame Andrea may move from the address in future if she were to lose the election, they suggested this was not relevant.
“Many people move for work despite their work being subject to a probationary period.
“A degree of uncertainty about one’s working future is not unusual,” they said.
Speaking after the conclusion of the hearing into the matter held on Friday, Dame Andrea said: “From the start this has been a political hit job aimed at smearing my candidacy.
“I am proud to live in Lincolnshire and it would be the honour of my life to be mayor of the place I grew up in and live in.”
