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Nigel Farage has won the Clacton by-election - but refused to attend the count, saying he does not want to be “demeaned and humiliated by nobodies”.
The Reform UK leader secured 22,239 votes to retain the Essex seat. His closest rival was Count Binface, who won 9,455 votes.
Mr Farage pre-empted the official announcement by telling supporters he had secured more than the 21,225 votes he won when he took the constituency at the 2024 general election.
However, speaking at a “Farage Fest” event in Essex, he said he would dodge the traditional declaration after being given notice of an “organised campaign” to “disrupt and degrade the result”.
He said: “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.”
Mr Farage quit as an MP to fight a “people versus the establishment” by-election as he faced financial allegations surrounding a £5million donation and a parliamentary probe.
All of the main political parties boycotted the poll, leaving Mr Farage’s most high-profile challenger as Count Binface - a self-described “intergalactic space warrior” dressed as a giant rubbish can.
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Count Binface claims ‘victory’ in Clacton after Nigel Farage skips results
Here’s a recap of Count Binface’s “victory” speech after he secured almost 10,000 votes in the Clacton by-election.
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Farage investigation: What happens next?
Now Nigel Farage has won the Clacton by-election the Parliamentary standards investigation into a £5 million donation he accepted from a Thia-based crypto billionaire has restarted.
How the probe goes, and how long it takes, depends on a number of different factors.
The commissioner, Daniel Greenberg, can interview MPs and seek evidence from other witnesses, which can take a long time if follow up questions are needed.
In cases where MPs admit they were at fault, the commissioner can decide to finish his investigation and ask them to take action to correct their mistake or apologise.
Earlier this year Mr Farage faced a probe for failing to register 17 financial interests, including payments from GB News, within the 28-day time limit.
The Reform UK leader requested an in-person meeting with the commissioner to explain himself and the investigation took around 10 weeks in total.
If the commissioner decides that parliamentary rules have been breached and the case is serious, he can refer it to the 14-member Commons standards committee.
This step opens up the possibility of more severe sanctions, including a possible suspension from the Commons that could result in another Clacton by-election.
Mr Farage could face a second by-election in ClactonPA WireVoter turnout in Clacton 'quite healthy' by standards of modern by-election
Voter turnout in Clacton was "quite healthy" by the standards of modern by-elections, polling expert Sir John Curtice says.
The Reform UK leader won with 22,239 votes (63.34%). However all of the other main political parties boycotted the by-election.
Turnout was 44.37%.
Sir John tells the BBC: "The argument that was being used by Farage’s opponents is this was a stunt, it was a farce.”
But he adds that Mr Farage will be able to point at the voter turnout, which is 10 points above the closest comparable by-election involving a prominent figure running when the other main parties refused to select candidates.
This was the poll triggered and then won by David Davis in 2008.
Sir John adds that the turnout was also "not much below what it was in either Runcorn or Gorton and Denton in the by-elections there, and it was actually higher than the two parliamentary by-elections in Scotland recently".
Sir John CurticePA MediaClacton voters 'stuck two fingers up at political establishment'
Nigel Farage has not been seen publicly since he announced he was dodging the Clacton by-election count.
The Reform UK leader has, however, shared a statement in which he says “voters in Clacton have stuck up two fingers to the entire political establishment”.
"The verdict is now in, and it is a convincing, overwhelming win, with more votes than we got in the general election of 2024,” Mr Farage says.
"Today, the voters in Clacton have stuck up two fingers to the entire political establishment."
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage arrives to cast his vote in the Clacton by-electionPA WireTories: By-election was 'farce'
The Clacton by-election was a “farce” used by Nigel Farage to distract from investigations into his finances, the Conservatives say.
“This by-election was a farce started by Nigel Farage to try and dodge scrutiny of his fishy £5 million personal donation,” a party spokesman says.
“Without any serious opponent in this pointless by-election, Farage has barely increased his overall vote total, secured fewer votes than the Conservative Giles Watling did in 2019, and had to invent absurd reasons to avoid being humiliated at his own vote count.
“All Farage can brag about this morning is beating a bloke with a bin on his head. What he should do is answer the serious outstanding questions about why he hid his £5 million from the public.”
Who is Count Binface?
After all of the main political parties boycotted the Clacton by-election, a man with a bin on his head emerged as the most high-profile contender among the 33 challenging Nigel Farage.
The creation of London comedian Jon Harvey, Count Binface has been standing in elections since 2017 when he challenged Theresa May’s constituency as his Lord Buckethead character.
He ran against Boris Johnson in Uxbridge and South Ruislip in 2019, and stood in Rishi Sunak’s Richmond and Northallerton seat at the 2024 general election.
He also went up against Andy Burnham in the Makerfield by-election, and ran in the London mayoral elections in 2021 and 2024,
Count Binface describes himself as an “intergalactic space warrior, leader of the Recyclons from Sigma IX and part-time politician on Earth”.
In Clacton he won 9,455 votes (26.71%), his best ever result.
Ahead of the poll he had outlined ten key pledges for Clacton, with many directed against Mr Farage specifically.
They included spending more time in Clacton-on-Sea than in Washington DC and not accepting £5 million gifts from crypto billionaires (on Earth).
Commons probe into Farage's finances reopens
The investigation into donations received by Nigel Farage has been reopened.
When the Reform UK leader stood down as an MP, the probe by the parliamentary commissioner for standards was paused.
But it has now been resumed, according to the Commons website.
Parliament's standards commissioner launched the investigation in May after Mr Farage failed to declare a £5 million gift he received before becoming an MP in the 2024 general election.
The money was a “gift” from Thailand-based billionaire Christopher Harborne.
MPs are allowed to accept gifts from donors, but they are supposed to declare if these might be thought to influence their actions.
Mr Farage insists he hasn't broken any rules, as there is an exemption for gifts that are "purely personal".
The money he received was used to pay for his personal security, he said.
Reform will 'of course' cooperate with parliament investigation into Farage's finances
Lee Anderson says Reform will “of course” cooperate with a parliamentary investigation into a £5 million gift received by Nigel Farage.
The party chairman says that “as far as I’m concerned, and Reform UK are concerned, that the slate is wiped clean now in Clacton”.
Asked whether they would assist with a probe by Parliament’s standards watchdog, which is expected to resume as Mr Farage returns to the Commons, Mr Anderson tells BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Of course we will. We’ll always cooperate with any procedure within Parliament. That’s what we do.
“It’s not always a two-way thing in Parliament. We’ve tried many, many times in Parliament to be part of the democratic system. We’ve tried to get on select committees… the powers that be won’t allow us to do that.
“So you know, I know we’re only a small party, but we are a massive part of democracy in this country. We won’t shut up from the backbenches. We’ll carry on defending the rights of people in this country.”
Candidates listen to the declaration for the Clacton by-election count at Clacton Leisure CentrePA'Planned disruption' stopped Farage attending Clacton council, says Lee Anderson
Reform chairman Lee Anderson appears to suggest that Nigel Farage did not attended the Clacton by-election count because there was “some planned disruption”.
Previously a party spokesman had said Mr Farage was advised not to attend by police due to a “credible threat” but this has been contested.
Asked whether there had been a credible threat made against him, Reform MP Mr Anderson tells BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Well, he was told, and he said this in his speech earlier about five hours ago, that there was some planned disruption amongst I think it was some of the other candidates. I think that was the case.
“So why go there when you’ve got you know 35, sorry, 33 other other candidates who and their team… Why would you go there and listen to them being abusive when you can be with real people from the real world?”
Has Clacton by-election massively backfired for Nigel Farage?
Victorious MPs bask in their moment of glory just minutes after election results are announced.
But Nigel Farage was nowhere to be seen after comfortably winning the Clacton by-election, with 22,239 votes.
He decided not to turn up for the count, or should it be for the Count.
Has the by-election gamble massively backfired for Nigel Farage? Read our analysis here.
Count Binface reacts after the declaration for the Clacton by-election count PALatest updatesOlder updates