Reform UK's newly elected Mayor for Greater Lincolnshire has hit out at the "soul-destroying" smear campaign she suffered as a result of her rivals, as she championed her election victory.
Dame Andrea Jenkyns, who was elected as the party's first-ever Mayor, launched a scathing attack on those who "called the police on her" and accused her of "sleeping with political allies".
In her victory speech this morning, Jenkyns took aim at Independent candidate Marianne Overton and claimed they had "made complaints" about her.
Jenkyns also claimed that despite her win of over 100,000 votes, she has "never experienced such negativity".
Dame Andrea Jenkyns has taken aim at the 'Tory smear campaign' following her Reform UK mayoral victory
GB News
Speaking to GB News, Jenkyns said: "As I said in my speech, I thought it was important to address this because it's been soul destroying, this campaign.
"I've fought four general elections, three local elections, and it's been horrible. It's been personal."
Detailing the accusations made against her, Jenkyns explained: "The Conservatives have called the police on me, we've had them saying I'm sleeping with political allies.
"We've had the independent candidate, her husband had complained to the council and there was a hearing and our barrister had to get involved. It's been completely dirty."
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Reform UK's Dame Andrea Jenkyns won the Greater Lincolnshire mayoralty
PACriticising the use of "dirty politics" against her and the rest of Reform UK, Jenkyns suggested that her victory in Lincolnshire is a result of voters "having had enough" of dirty tactics.
Jenkyns told GB News: "I think this has probably demonstrated this result, really, that people are switched off by dirty tactics, and it's about restoring that trust.
"Dirty politics does not work, or it'll only work short term, and we've got to listen to the people and deliver for them. I got kicked out as a Conservative MP - I trust in the electorate, and I will not let the people of Lincolnshire down."
Detailing her plans for her constituents as Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire, Jenkyns claimed that she wishes to "restore trust" in voters, and her plans to create a "Transport for Lincolnshire" infrastructure.
Jenkyns told GB News that her priority is 'restoring trust' in voters
GB News
Jenkyns said: "My priority is about restoring trust for the public. I'm going to be forming a Transport for Lincolnshire, just like we have a Transport for London, but there'll be no diversity officers on my Transport for Lincolnshire. It'd be key strategic decision makers to finally fix the infrastructure problems across Lincolnshire.
"A big thing for me, I know that people are struggling. We've got some of the most highest energy costs in the world, and I want to look at the balance sheet, I want to look at the tendering process."
She added: "I want to look at the local Government contracts to ensure that every penny of taxpayers money across Lancashire is well spent, so that I can keep council tax low for them and deliver for them."
