Nigel Farage has won the by-election he triggered by resigning as Clacton's MP earlier this summer. The Reform UK leader received 22,239 votes, a share of 62.8 per cent.
He faced no opposition from any of the major parties, which chose not to indulge in what the governing Labour Party described as a 'circus'. The controversy continued overnight, as Mr Farage claimed he was not attending the count due to a 'credible threat' made against him.
Threat claim disputed
His party claims Essex Police advised Mr Farage not to attend the count as a result. But the claims have been disputed, with the Press Association understanding that Essex Police did not tell Mr Farage - or any other candidate - not to attend the count.
Mr Farage told an all-night 'Farage-fest' event organised by Reform in Essex: “I’m not scared of these people, far from it. But I’m damned if I’m going to stand on a stage, having won a resounding victory, a ringing endorsement of all that I’ve tried to fight for, and you’ve tried to fight for, and be demeaned and humiliated by nobodies, and I will not sadly be attending the count.”
Essex Police said it had a 'proportionate and robust policing operation to ensure the safety and security of all participants in the count'. Mr Farage's non-attendance had come as a surprise to Tendring District Council, the local authority running the count.
Council responds
Ian Davidson, acting returning officer and chief executive, said: "We have worked closely with Essex Police colleagues to ensure the election process is completed safely and securely, as is evident from the level of security we have in place here today. This includes a robust policing operation throughout the day and including at the count. It is a candidate’s decision whether or not to attend the count.”
Mr Davidson said Essex Police had assigned an assistant chief constable as part of a 'Gold Command' policing operation. He said he did not believe there was any threat serious enough for the count to be called off, but that he could not comment further on security matters.
Results and reaction
Mr Farage's closest competitor was Count Binface, who received 9,455 votes, a career-best result and 26.7 per cent share. There were 32 other candidates, none of whom picked up 500 votes. The turnout was 44.37 per cent.
Mr Farage was due to make what was billed as a 'major speech' in Clacton at 10.30am on Friday, but Reform cancelled it, saying he had 'already commented on the expected result of the by-election'. In a speech hours before the result was formally declared, Mr Farage said: “The verdict is now in, and it is a convincing, overwhelming win with more votes than we got in the general election of 2024. Today the voters in Clacton have stuck up two fingers to the entire political establishment.”
The by-election was triggered by Mr Farage’s resignation over scrutiny of donations from cryptocurrency tycoon Christopher Harborne. Labour and the Conservatives said his victory would not draw a line under the controversy.
Before quitting Westminster, Mr Farage was being investigated by the parliamentary standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg over a £5 million gift from Christopher Harborne, which he received before taking his seat in the Commons. Under Commons rules, new MPs are required to register any gifts worth more than £300 they received in the previous 12 months, except where the gift 'could not be reasonably thought by others' to relate to their political activities.
That investigation was paused when Mr Farage resigned his seat but will resume following his by-election win. Mr Farage could also face an investigation over support provided by George Cottrell, a long-term ally. If he is found to have broken the rules and a suspension of more than 10 days is imposed, it could trigger a recall petition and the prospect of Mr Farage facing a second by-election.
Count Binface, a character created by comedian Jonathan David Harvey, told Sky News at the count: "You just said at the beginning of this interview that Nigel Farage is claiming victory, but in that case it’s going to be a two-legged match like the Carabao Cup or the Cold War, because we’re going to be back again in a few weeks aren’t we? We’ll see what happens then.”
Bridget Phillipson, chair of the Labour Party, said: “Nigel Farage spent 38 days fighting a bin in his most desperate attempt yet to deflect attention from the sleaze and scandals engulfing him and his party. Farage may succeed in his run-off against a bin, but he can’t run from the truth forever. The list of unanswered questions about the £5 million gift he hid from the public, his support from a convicted fraudster, and the mountain of other scandals he and Reform are facing isn’t going away.”
