Labour and the Conservatives have said the result of the Clacton by-election will not draw a line under the controversy surrounding donations received by Nigel Farage. Polls closed at 10pm in the contest, which the other major political parties have avoided contesting, with Mr Farage hoping to retain his seat.
A record 34 candidates are standing, with satirical candidate Count Binface appearing to be Mr Farage's main challenger.
Parties vow continued scrutiny
Labour's chair, Bridget Phillipson, said Mr Farage “can't run from the truth forever.” A Conservative Party spokesperson said the “stunt” of calling the by-election would not draw a line under the matter.
The Reform UK leader resigned as an MP to trigger the by-election in protest at media and parliamentary scrutiny of donations from his backers. Mr Farage said it was a chance to “stick two fingers up to the establishment.”
Quotes from Labour and Conservatives
Ms Phillipson 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.” She added: “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.”
A Conservative Party spokesman said: “Nigel Farage called this fake by-election in a desperate attempt to draw a line under the questions surrounding his fishy £5 million donation. Whatever the outcome on Friday, this stunt has not done that.”
Election details and background
The result is likely to be announced in the early hours of Friday morning. Initial returns show turnout is down about 15% on the election in July 2024. The contest is estimated to have cost taxpayers about £250,000.
Before resigning, Mr Farage was being investigated by the parliamentary standards commissioner, Daniel Greenberg, over a £5 million gift from cryptocurrency tycoon Christopher Harborne. That investigation was paused when Mr Farage resigned his seat but will resume if he wins the by-election, as bookmakers have made him the firm favourite to do.
Mr Farage could also face an investigation over support provided by George Cottrell, a long-term ally, who reportedly recruited and paid three staff to work on Mr Farage's social media and allowed him to use a rented property near Buckingham Palace.
The main Westminster parties refused to take part in this contest but could stand if the outcome of the standards investigation results in another by-election. If Mr Farage is found to have broken the rules and a suspension of more than 10 days is imposed, it could trigger a recall petition and force a second contest.
