Doncaster councillor quits Reform UK to sit as independent
Councillor Christopher Marriott, Armthorpe ward, is the second councillor to leave the party in a week
A City of Doncaster councillor has chosen to leave Reform UK and sit as an independent, the party has revealed.
Councillor Christopher Marriott, Armthorpe ward, is the second councillor to leave the party in a week, after Cllr David Knight was removed by party leadership on September 24, 2025.
He said in a statement: “I can confirm I did voluntarily resign the Reform whip this morning for personal reasons and I will continue sitting as an independent councillor.”
Marriott had previously stepped back from committee roles ahead of the full council meeting in July 2025. He does not have membership of any council committees or outside bodies.
He was replaced on the Health and Wellbeing Board and the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Panel by Cllrs Nick Pritchard and Craig Ward, respectively.
A Reform UK group spokesperson confirmed that Marriott had left the group voluntarily.
They told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “We respect this decision and have accepted it. It would not be appropriate for us to comment further.”
Marriott is the third departure from Reform UK since the party swept to a council majority in May 2025.
Cllr Mark Broadhurst, Hatfield ward, was stripped of the party whip in May 2025 over a series of social media posts deemed “inappropriate” by leadership.
Those posts were later found to be “racist, islamophobic, anti-semitic and highly offensive” by a panel of his councillor peers in September 2025.
Cllr Knight was removed from the party after the establishment of Fly Doncaster (Auxiliary Services) Ltd.
The company proved controversial due to it sharing the first part of its name with the “arms length” company created by Doncaster Council to run Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA).
The business was founded with former Reform UK deputy leader, Cllr Rachel Reed, who retained the whip but stepped down from her leadership role.