Nigel Farage has been re-elected as the MP for Clacton following a by-election, and has warned critics “we are only just getting started” after his victory. The Reform UK leader accused opponents of trying to silence his party because “we speak up for those who have been ignored”.
Farage's message to the establishment
Writing exclusively in the Daily Express, the re-elected MP said: “From the moment I resigned and forced the by-election, I made clear that this was about far more than whether I continued as the local MP.
“It was a contest between the patriotic people of Clacton and the entire British establishment. Since I was first elected to Parliament in 2024, the old Westminster parties and their media mouthpieces have devoted a lot of their time to attacking me and Reform UK, trying to destroy us.
“They want to silence our party because we speak up for those who have been ignored for far too long - the silenced majority who have had enough of uncontrolled immigration, rampant crime, the runaway cost of living crisis and all the other problems of living in Broken Britain.”
He added: “I asked the people of Clacton to send the Westminster establishment a message: that enough is enough. On Thursday they delivered a message so loud and clear that it cannot be ignored. And let me assure all those who keep trying to write my political obituary: we are only just getting started.”
By-election results and turnout
Mr Farage won with 22,239 votes while satirical candidate Count Binface came second on 9,455 votes, giving the Reform leader a majority of 12,784 and 62.82% of the vote. This is up from his 8,405-vote majority and 46.2% when he won at the 2024 general election, with turnout down by just over 14% at 44.37%.
The main Westminster parties boycotted the race, which was triggered in July when Mr Farage quit as an MP amid scrutiny of his finances. The Liberal Democrats, Labour and the Conservatives dismissed the contest as a political stunt.
Security concerns and police response
Reform UK’s leader chose not to show for the declaration of results at the Clacton Leisure Centre on Friday morning after his party claimed that he had been advised by police to stay away because of a “credible threat” against him. Mr Farage was due to make what was billed as a “major speech” in Clacton at 10.30am on Friday but it was cancelled.
Facing questions about the party’s claim of a threat on Friday, Reform chief whip Lee Anderson said Mr Farage had not attended the count because he had been told of “some planned disruption”. But Essex Police said there were “no incidents or issues” and that decisions on whether to attend the declaration were for individual candidates and their security teams.
In a statement on Friday, an Essex Police spokesman said: “We have a full and robust policing operation in place around the Clacton by-election, as we do with all significant elections in our county. Our aim was to ensure the people of Clacton were able to go about their daily business, that people were able to cast their vote safely and that the count took place without issue. We are pleased to say all of these things happened and there were no incidents or issues throughout yesterday and into the early hours of this morning. We take the safety and security of our elected officials extremely seriously and, equally, we take our policing responsibilities around the democratic process seriously too.”
Ongoing investigations and political reactions
Mr Farage’s return to parliament means an investigation into a £5 million gift received from crypto billionaire Christopher Harbourne has resumed. The probe into the alleged failure to register an interest was suspended when Mr Farage quit the Commons amid scrutiny over his and the party’s finances.
Under Commons rules, new MPs are required to register any gifts worth more than £300 they received in the previous 12 months, except where it “could not be reasonably thought by others” to relate to their political activities. Mr Farage has said the gift was for security and was not political.
Counter-terrorism police investigating the death of Reform spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe have reopened an inquiry into a firebombing at Mr Farage’s home. During the incident in April 2025, a lit incendiary device was pushed through the Brexit architect’s letterbox. Former Conservative minister Ms Widdecombe, 78, was found dead on July 9 at her home in Devon, having sustained serious injuries.
Mr Farage said: "Opponents are again screeching about the £5m personal gift I received from a friend before entering parliament. Especially since Ann’s murder, I can think of five million reasons why that gift is welcome to fund security for myself and my family. But we will not allow threats and attacks to stop us doing what needs to be done to turn this great country around. I will continue knocking on doors and going out to meet people in our communities."
The party leader could also face an investigation over support provided by convicted fraudster 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.
A Conservative Party spokeswoman said: “This by-election was a farce started by Nigel Farage to try and dodge scrutiny of his fishy £5 million personal donation. Without any serious opponent in this pointless by-election, Farage has barely increased his overall vote total, secured fewer votes than the Conservative Giles Watling did in 2019, and had to invent absurd reasons to avoid being humiliated at his own vote count. All Farage can brag about this morning is beating a bloke with a bin on his head. What he should do is answer the serious outstanding questions about why he hid his £5 million from the public.”
Labour chairwoman Bridget Phillipson said: “This is no victory for Nigel Farage. The mountain of sleaze and scandal he and Reform are now engulfed in has grown and grown while he’s been trying to distract the public by fighting a by-election against a bin. This morning, Nigel Farage shouldn’t be celebrating – he should wake up and smell the coffee. He must come clean with the public and put all the facts on the table over his secret £5 million gift, his relationship with a convicted fraudster, and the other scandals his Party is drowning in. Farage’s distraction by-election doesn’t clear his name – it just shows he likely has so much more to hide.”
