DSA could be 'massive drain' on taxpayers - Farage

Reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) risks being "a financial millstone" around the necks of council tax payers, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has said.

Reform councillors in Doncaster say they want the airport to reopen but have called an extraordinary meeting to reverse approval of a £57m loan from the council.

The party says it no longer backs the loan, which was passed in November 2025, with Farage describing it as "a disaster".

Labour Mayor Ros Jones said Reform was "standing in the way of incredible economic potential and opportunity".

Farage told BBC Radio Leeds: "We want this airport open but the deal that is currently proposed would be a disaster for taxpayers in Doncaster because the council, under this deal, is not getting the freehold.

"We want the deal to go ahead, I've sent [Reform MP] Richard Tice up, he's been a successful property developer, we've examined this and the council in the deal must get the freehold.

"If it gets the freehold then we can negotiate with other people to be providers."

He added: "It is my fear that it would become a financial millstone around the necks of Doncaster council tax payers.

"We want to save this airport but we do not want it to be a massive drain year on year on council tax payers that leads to it closing again.

"We are fighting and working for a better deal."

Jones accused Reform of making continual "U-turns" over the airport ahead of the extraordinary meeting on 11 May.

She said: "Last week Reform said DSA should be privately funded and today they're saying it should be acquired by the council or government, even if that means through a compulsory purchase order (CPO).

"It is important to remember we offered to buy the freehold back in 2022 and Peel refused, the offer of a lease effectively killed off any chance of a successful CPO.

"A CPO application could take up between five to seven years, with little chance of success and considerable risks in the likelihood of it failing, including compensation to the landowner.

"If Reform vote to U-turn on the loan, it will kill off the airport, and Reform will forever be remembered for standing in the way and depriving Doncaster and South Yorkshire of the airport that would deliver incredible economic potential and opportunity."

City of Doncaster Council is working to reopen DSA with £160m of public money, not including the loan agreed last November.

The first large jet to land at DSA since its closure in 2022 touched down on Tuesday.

Under the original funding deal, freight services could begin in 2027, with passenger flights starting in 2028.

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