Summary
- We’ve ended our live coverage now – you can read more here
- Nigel Farage says he will resign as an MP for Clacton, triggering a by-election which he will stand in
- “This will be a people versus the establishment by-election,” he says in a video statement, adding “the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions”
- It comes amid a row over his financial support, after the Sunday Times reported he had not declared benefits, including staff and security, received from long-time ally George Cottrell – Farage says he has done “nothing wrong”
- The Reform UK leader has also faced questions about a £5m gift from Christopher Harborne in early 2024 which he did not register – he said the money was for his personal security
- Henry Zeffman analysis: If Farage were to win this by-election, investigations into him would resume – that is what Parliament’s rules are
- The Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Restore Britain say they won’t stand in the Clacton by-election
- The contest could cost £230,000, says BBC Verify. Farage says Reform has offered to cover the cost – but it’s not clear if that would be allowed under election rules
Farage says he will trigger and stand in Clacton by-election amid financial scrutiny
Reform UK’s leader Nigel Farage has resigned from his parliamentary seat of Clacton, triggering a by-election in the area that he will stand in.
The context
The Sunday Times reported over the weekend Farage had not properly declared support from long-time ally George Cottrell, which reportedly included payment for security and social media staff.
He also remains under investigation by Parliament’s standards commissioner for not declaring a £5m gift he received from Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based British cryptocurrency investor, before his election.
What Farage said today
Farage said he had done “nothing wrong”, and said the Sunday Times report was “wholly inaccurate”, and the investigation into him by the parliamentary standards watchdog is “being used as a political tool”.
“I’ve decided that the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions,” he said, adding: “And that is why I will be putting my name forward to stand in this by-election. I will fight to win. I will fight to continue the political revolution that Reform has started.”
The reaction
Labour, the Conservatives, the Lib Dems and Restore Britain have all said they will not be putting forward candidates for the by-election.
Labour and Restore Britain called it a “circus”, the Conservatives called it “a fake by-election” and the Lib Dems called it “Farage’s vanity project”.
Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick told the BBC that if other parties are “too chicken to stand, that says more about them than us”.
