With just two days to go until polls open for the Clacton-on-Sea by-election, all eyes will be on the Essex town to see if Nigel Farage's risky political manoeuvre will pay off in his favour or completely backfire.
The by-election was triggered on 7 July when Reform UK leader Nigel Farage resigned as an MP after coming under intense pressure over unregistered donations of cash and support.
In a video statement at the time, Mr Farage said: “I have done nothing wrong. I have not broken the law in any way at all.” He accused the media of harassment and vowed to fight a “people versus the establishment” by-election.
Major parties decline to contest
Within days of Mr Farage's resignation and declaration of intent to stand again, Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Restore Britain all ruled out contesting the by-election.
On the decision not to stand a candidate in the by-election, a Labour Party spokesperson said: "Labour’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee (NEC), has decided not to stand a candidate in this circus. Instead, Labour will remain focused on delivering for working people and holding Reform to account."
They added: "Farage should let the parliamentary investigation into his finances run its course and face the consequences."
Conservative and Lib Dem responses
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also confirmed that her party will not stand a candidate in the by-election. "We will be standing a candidate in the real by-election, which will follow the standards investigation into Nigel Farage’s fishy finances," Ms Badenoch said. "We will not be standing a candidate in the fake by-election that Farage is causing to distract people from what is happening."
"The best thing for him to have done would have been to call a press conference and explain what he did with the money, apologise if needs be, and that would have been the end of it," she added. "Instead, he has been running away from scrutiny. No one is bigger than Parliament. We all have to register our interests."
The leader of the Lib Dems, Ed Davey, said: "If this by-election does go ahead now, we are calling on all parties to stand aside and refuse to give oxygen to Farage's vanity project." Davey also went further in calling on the government to block the election until the parliamentary standards commissioner has finished his investigation.
"The people of Clacton should have all the facts before they cast their votes," he declared.
Other parties and candidates
Rupert Lowe, leader of Restore Britain, said his party would not stand a candidate in the “unnecessary sham”.
The Green Party are also not standing, and said “we have no intention of helping to legitimise a by-election that appears designed not to serve local residents but to serve Nigel Farage’s personal political ambitions”.
Mr Farage’s opponents in Thursday's (13 August) contest at the polls include Count Binface, actor-turned-politician Laurence Fox, and three candidates from the Official Monster Raving Loony Party – Nick The Incredible Flying Brick, its leader Alan "Howling Laud" Hope and Baron Von Thunderclap.
You can see a list of all 34 candidates here.
