Reform insiders have suggested that Nigel Farage would secure even more votes if a second Clacton by-election were to take place, according to The Express. The party leader is now an MP once again following his victory in the by-election triggered by his resignation in July.
In that contest, Mr Farage received 22,239 votes, while Count Binface garnered 9,455. Another vote could be called following the conclusion of an investigation by the Parliamentary standards watchdog into an alleged failure by the Reform leader to declare an interest when receiving a £5million gift.
Reform sources speak out
The Express' deputy political editor Steph Spyro told host James Walker in the podcast The Daily Expresso: "I'm speaking to Reform sources this morning. I don't think they like the idea of a second by-election from what I'm picking up. But I'm assured that if there were to be one, Reform, Nigel Farage rather, would get more votes, which is quite interesting."
She added: "They feel quite strongly about that. But they don't see any issue with this first one being called. They think it should hold, it should stand."
Campaign aftermath
Ms Spyro also noted: "I think also Reform naturally wouldn't fancy a probe, you know. That's not where they're at. I think they're also recovering. The one I spoke to was eating pie and mash in a cafe, and I think it has been a long stretch on a campaign trail."
Mr Farage did not attend the declaration of the result, telling supporters that Essex Police had warned him that there was an "organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result". Essex Police has said it did not advise any candidate that they should not attend.
Count Binface told locals during the campaign to vote for him in order to avoid hundreds of thousands of pounds being spent on another poll. Labour and the Conservatives did not field candidates.
Rival parties criticised
This was because they were "feart to stand up against Nigel Farage", Reform Scotland's deputy leader said. Thomas Kerr told BBC Radio Scotland on Friday: "There was not a Labour candidate, there wasn't a Conservative candidate, wasn't a Green candidate, wasn't a Lib Dem candidate, wasn't a Restore candidate, because every single one of them were feart to stand up against Nigel Farage."
