Nigel Farage has secured victory in the Clacton by-election, receiving 22,239 votes, but did not attend the count, citing what Reform UK described as a “credible threat” against him. Count Binface finished second with 9,455 votes.
Farage claims threat, police deny advising absence
Farage pre-empted the official declaration at 6am by telling supporters he had won “fairly convincingly” and that the result, on the hottest day of the year, was an “overwhelming endorsement” of him. He said Essex Police had informed him of an “organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result”.
A Reform UK spokesperson later said: “Essex Police advised Nigel not to attend the count tonight due to a credible threat against him.” However, the Press Association reports that Essex Police did not tell Farage or any other candidate not to attend. A police spokesperson said: “We have a proportionate and robust policing operation to ensure the safety and security of all participants in the count.”
Farage's speech and reaction
At an all-night “Farage-fest” event organised by Reform in Essex, Farage said: “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.”
He was due to make 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”.
Official response and context
Essex Police directed inquiries to Tendring District Council, which ran the election. Acting returning officer Ian Davidson said he did not know Farage would not attend until the announcement, adding: “It is up to individual candidates' wish to or do not wish to attend the count, but as far as we're concerned we will be able to complete this count successfully and safely for all the candidates, my staff here and all the visitors.” He said he was not aware of the threat and did not believe it was serious enough to call off the count.
The by-election was triggered by Farage's resignation over scrutiny of donations from a cryptocurrency tycoon. Labour and the Conservatives said his victory would not end the controversy. In his speech, 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.” He added: “Today the voters in Clacton have stuck up two fingers to the entire political establishment.”
Turnout was 44.37%, down over 14% from the 2024 general election. Count Binface, a character created by Jonathan David Harvey, suggested a possible second by-election if Farage is found to have broken parliamentary rules, saying: “We're going to be back again in a few weeks aren't we? We'll see what happens then.”
