NORTH YORKSHIRE — The North Yorkshire Conservative Group has solidified its leadership timeline and strategy ahead of the 2027 local elections, putting former mayoral candidate Cllr Keane Duncan in charge of the campaign.
The Leadership Agreement
Following discussions between Cllr Carl Les and Cllr Keane Duncan, the group announced a coordinated plan to maintain party stability:
- Interim Leadership: Cllr Carl Les will continue to serve as Group Leader through the upcoming local election cycle.
- Planned Departure: Immediately following the 2027 elections, Cllr Les will stand down from his role.
- Succession Plan: An open leadership contest will be triggered to select a new permanent leader once Cllr Les steps aside.
Duncan Takes Campaign Helm After Mayoral Defeat
Cllr Keane Duncan has been tasked with leading the Group’s election preparations. He will establish and chair a newly formed Campaign 2027 Board, designed to unite candidates and party officials to coordinate fundraising, communications, and field operations.
The high-profile assignment places Duncan back at the forefront of regional campaigning following his defeat in the May 2024 York and North Yorkshire mayoral election.
In that historic first vote for the regional mayoralty, Duncan finished in second place with 51,967 votes (27.3% share), losing to Labour’s David Skaith by a margin of nearly 15,000 votes.
Despite losing the overall combined authority vote due to heavy Labour turnout in the City of York, Duncan topped the poll within the North Yorkshire Council area boundary.
Focus on Unity and Official Statements
With less than a year remaining until the local ballots open, both councillors emphasized that avoiding an immediate leadership battle was crucial for the party’s chances.
Cllr Carl Les said:
Keane and I are united and moving forward together with a clear focus on winning for the Conservatives in 2027.
Our shared priority is delivering for North Yorkshire residents and preparing effectively for the election challenge ahead.
Keane has a strong track record of campaigning across all corners of North Yorkshire, and I’m pleased he will be leading our election preparations.
Cllr Keane Duncan said:
With less than a year until the elections, I believe the right decision now is to focus our energy into winning seats, rather than into prolonging a leadership contest.
Carl and I are both aiming for the strongest possible Conservative result in 2027, and we’re committed to working together to achieve it.
We have agreed an effective plan for campaigning and a clear timetable for a leadership contest afterwards.
I’m looking forward to starting work immediately and supporting our candidates to win across North Yorkshire.
