Nigel Farage has claimed he never wanted to step down as Clacton's MP and trigger a by-election, insisting the political establishment forced him to do so. Speaking to Metro ahead of tomorrow's vote in the seat he held until his resignation last month, the Reform leader addressed constituents directly, saying it had been 'one of the greatest privileges of my life' to serve as their MP for two years.
Farage said: 'I did not want to resign as your MP and have this by-election. But the political establishment forced it upon me. My promises to Clacton are simple: I will always be accountable to you; I will always take on Westminster for you; I will always fight to fix broken Britain for you.'
The party leader announced his resignation on July 7 amid pressure over scrutiny of an undeclared £5 million 'gift' from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne. An investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner into whether Farage should have disclosed that income was paused when he left the Commons, but it is set to resume if he is re-elected.
By-election backdrop and establishment criticism
If the commissioner finds Farage breached the rules, it could force a second by-election in the constituency, one in which major parties are more likely to compete. Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, and Restore Britain all declined to field candidates in the current campaign, deriding Farage's move as a stunt. That left novelty candidate Count Binface as his main opposition, with polls suggesting more Brits would prefer the 'intergalactic space warrior' to win.
In his resignation speech, streamed on social media, Farage said he had made the decision after thinking over the previous weekend. He said: 'I could go out and try and make some real big money. I could go to the USA, where I've got plenty of offers. And then I thought, why should I be judged today or in history in the future by Sky News and their ilk? Why should they be the people that decide my fate when, as I repeat, I've done nothing wrong?'
Farage's defense and voter sentiment
Farage added that the 'people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions', declaring the vote would provide 'a chance to stick two fingers up to the entire establishment'. Despite the lack of participation from the UK's main parties, the by-election has broken the record for number of candidates, with 34 people standing—though one withdrew after getting on the ballot. Voters will face a 90cm-long ballot paper when they enter the polling booth.
Polling data shared by Luke Tryl on August 12 indicates that in a direct choice, Brits tend to prefer Count Binface over Farage, with majorities of progressive voters favoring Binface. However, among Clacton's 2024 Reform voters, nearly 9 in 10 support Farage, as do a narrow majority of 2024 Conservative voters.
Record candidate list and next steps
The by-election takes place tomorrow, with Farage seeking to retain the seat he won in 2024. If re-elected, the paused investigation into his undeclared gift could resume, potentially leading to further political fallout. The outcome will also signal whether Farage's appeal holds in a constituency that backed him decisively two years ago, despite the absence of major party challengers.
