Reform UK’s Nigel Farage was declared the winner of the Clacton by‑election with 22,239 votes, a rise from 46.2% in the 2024 general election to 63.3% in the by‑poll. The result was announced after the count at Clacton Leisure Centre, although Farage chose not to be present.
Police advice and security arrangements
A Reform UK spokesperson said Essex Police advised Farage not to attend the count because of a credible threat. The force, however, issued no formal instruction to any candidate to stay away, and a police spokesperson said it had a "proportionate and robust policing operation to ensure the safety and security of all participants in the count". Returning officer Ian Davidson said he did not consider any threat serious enough to cancel the count.
Other candidates and turnout
The contest was limited to Reform UK and the satirical candidate Count Binface, created by comedian Jon Harvey, who received close to 10,000 votes – 26.9% of the total. Voter turnout was recorded at 44.37%.
Ongoing investigations
At the same time, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards announced the restart of an inquiry into a £5 million donation to Farage, linked to cryptocurrency entrepreneur Christopher Harborne and potentially involving George Cottrell. Farage denied any wrongdoing in relation to the donation.
Political reactions
Reform UK MPs Richard Tice and Lee Anderson spoke publicly about the result. Tice said Farage’s team decided to avoid the count because they believed there were sufficient anxieties and threats. Labour chair Bridget Phillipson criticised the outcome, stating, "This is no victory for Nigel Farage. The mountain of sleaze and scandal he and Reform are now engulfed in has grown and grown while he's been trying to distract the public by fighting a by‑election against a bin."
Farage’s own comments
Farage described the result as an "overwhelming endorsement" and said, "Look, this is an overwhelming endorsement of me. I have had enough of being judged by mainstream media, being called a criminal." He added that voters had "stuck two fingers up at the entire political establishment".
Count Binface, who joked about a future contest, said he expected a "two‑legged match" and that he would return in a few weeks.
If Farage were suspended for ten days or more, a recall by‑election could be triggered in Clacton. The ballot papers used in the count were 90 cm long.