Nigel Farage officially began his campaign for the Clacton by-election by delivering a speech at a poorly attended right-wing conference in London, 84 miles away from the voters he seeks to represent. The event was the CPAC GB, a spinoff of the American pro-Donald Trump convention, hosted by former Prime Minister Liz Truss.
Farage's Speech and Audience
Farage addressed an audience that included Tory and Reform UK MPs, as well as hard-right activists and influencers, in a small 500-seater auditorium. Despite drawing the largest crowd of the day, seats were readily available. 'I've taken a punt,' he told the audience. 'I like a gamble.'
Key Claims and Criticism
During the speech, Farage confirmed his candidacy in the Clacton by-election, despite a boycott from all other major parties. He described scrutiny over a £5 million gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne as a 'coordinated pile-on,' claiming he had been 'criticised, demonised, dehumanised in the most extraordinary way.' He painted a bleak picture of 'broken Britain,' alleging that men no longer wear watches and women avoid jewellery in London for fear of being mugged. 'I honestly believe we're less than a decade away from effectively turning into a third world country,' he claimed.
Attacks on Political Leaders
Farage took aim at Labour leader Andy Burnham, accusing him of having 'no mandate' to become Prime Minister and demanding an 'immediate general election.' He stated, 'The only certainty with Burnham is we're going to get more of the same, but they'll go further to the left than they already are.' He added that 'nothing will get better under Andy Burnham' and that Burnham 'has literally no mandate for this at all' outside of 25,000 voters in Makerfield. Farage also criticised Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, saying, 'Everything Kemi stands for is the complete opposite of what they did in government. I don't believe the last Conservative government can ever be forgiven for what they did.'
Reform UK and the 'Establishment'
Farage claimed that Reform UK was under attack from the 'establishment' because it had confounded assumptions that the party would implode. 'Don't worry about Reform, they'll implode, they'll fall to pieces, they're a disaster zone,' he said, quoting his critics. 'They decided that if they couldn't beat us by fair means, they'd beat us by foul means.'
Other Candidates in the By-Election
The Clacton by-election, scheduled for August, features a diverse field of candidates. Farage's main opponent is Count Binface, a comedian dressed as a dustbin from space. Other candidates include hard-right former actor Laurence Fox, Howling Laud Hope of the Monster Raving Loony Party, and anti-vaxx activist Piers Corbyn, brother of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Independents Luke Worley (a contestant on Channel 4's 'Dating Naked'), Robert Elwes (from Channel 5's 'Rich House, Poor House'), Rees Cowne, and Mr Fishfinger are also standing. Labour, the Conservative Party, the Liberal Democrats, and the Green Party have all chosen not to field candidates.
