‘Lincolnshire Needs a Stirrer’: Reform UK’s Dame Andrea Jenkyns’ Quest for Mayoral Seat

Dame Andrea Jenkyns, representing Reform UK in the upcoming Greater Lincolnshire mayoral race, has made it clear that the county ‘needs a stirrer’. The forthcoming election on 1 May will see the residents of Scunthorpe, Spalding, Grimsby and Grantham electing their area’s debut mayor. The victor will be entrusted with the leadership of the newly-formed Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority, wielding control over a £24 million annual investment fund and holding sway over economic, skills, transport and planning matters. A total of five candidates have thrown their hats in the ring, representing the Conservative Party, Labour, Reform UK, the Green Party and Lincolnshire Independents. Ms Jenkyns, formerly the Conservative MP for Morley and Outwood, defected from the Tories after losing her seat in the 2024 General Election. She now sees her role as a ‘disruptor’, focusing on challenging the Labour government and offering an alternative to the Tories. She is adamant that she has never been a ‘yes person’, and is ready to ‘break up this cosy consensus’ and fight back against the government’s actions towards farmers, pensioners and businesses. If elected, Ms Jenkyns has pledged to establish a Lincolnshire Department of Government Efficiency to promote transparency and resource optimisation. She also plans to introduce a transport body similar to Transport for London, and to foster a new skills board run by businesses. Ms Jenkyns believes that her experience, her ‘pro-business’ approach, and her existing connections with the US will work in her favour. She concluded, ‘If you want somebody who is going to be disruptor, who gets things done, and who is not afraid to make difficult decision but will definitely put you first, then I’m the person.’