Nigel Farage’s high-stakes by-election move was dismissed by critics as a “pointless farce” last night, after scrutiny of his financial affairs resumed within hours of his win.
The Reform UK leader secured his return as MP for Clacton early on Friday, taking 22,239 votes — a higher total than he achieved at the 2024 General Election, though his 63.3 per cent vote share fell short of some expectations.
Farage was not present for the official declaration at the Essex town’s leisure centre and also scrapped a planned victory address. Reform UK said there had been a “credible threat” to his safety, but police said they had not advised him to avoid the event.
His absence fuelled speculation that he was keen to avoid being pictured among a crowded field of novelty contenders, including Count Binface, who finished second with 9,455 votes on a record 34-candidate ballot paper.
Farage insisted the outcome justified his decision to step down as an MP last month while questions over his finances were intensifying.
He said: “The verdict is now in, and it is a convincing, overwhelming win with more votes than we got in the General Election of 2024. Today, the voters in Clacton have stuck up two fingers to the entire political establishment.”
But in a subsequent interview, Farage appeared for the first time to acknowledge that he may have breached Commons rules by failing to declare a £5 million “gift” received before the 2024 election from cryptocurrency businessman Christopher Harborne.
Speaking to GB News during an overnight “Farage Fest” gathering for supporters, he said: “Do you know if I’ve made one sin? I haven’t filled in a piece of paper.”
Nigel Farage was re-elected MP for Clacton on Friday morning with 22,239 votes, more than he won at the 2024 General Election but with a smaller than predicted share of ballots cast (63.3 per cent)
Joke candidates Count Binface came second with 9,455 votes on the record-breaking 34-strong ballot.
He went on: ‘I’ve broken no law. I’ve broken no tax law. I’ve taken no public money. I don’t even own a motorhome.
‘And, you know, maybe I haven’t filled in a piece of paper. I’m confident I’m right. We’ll see where we go.’
Mr Farage will be sworn in for a second time as Clacton’s MP when Parliament returns on September 1.
But within hours of the 6am declaration, Commons sleaze watchdog the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards restarted its inquiry into him after it was paused during the campaign.
It stated that Mr Farage is once more under investigation for an alleged ‘Failure to register an interest’ and he is expected to be interviewed within weeks.
He could then face another by-election, contested by mainstream parties after they boycotted Thursday’s contest.
This would require the watchdog to conclude he broke the code of conduct, the committee to recommend a lengthy suspension and 10 per cent of his constituents to back a fresh poll in a recall petition.
His allies said there was no point in this happening.
Reform chairman and MP Lee Anderson told the BBC: ‘As far as I’m concerned and Reform UK are concerned, the slate is wiped clean now in Clacton.’
Last night a Conservative source told the Mail: ‘This entire process was a pointless farce.
‘Within hours of the by-election result, the standards probe recommenced. Farage hoped his stunt would distract from his fishy £5 million donation. But it has done nothing of the sort.’
Labour chairman Bridget Phillipson said: ‘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.’
Britain’s leading pollster also warned that although turnout of 44 per cent in Clacton was ‘quite healthy’, Reform is now struggling in the polls nationally.
Professor Sir John Curtice said the party is suffering from the ‘Burnham bounce’, a revived Tory party and the threat to its Right from Restore Britain.
He said: ‘Reform’s once seemingly bright chances of fulfilling Farage’s dream of replacing the Conservatives as the principal party of the Right in Britain now seem to be much diminished.’
Bookies also cut their odds on Mr Farage being the next leader to be replaced while saying his chances of being the next PM were in ‘free fall’.
There were a record-breaking 34 candidates in the Clacton by-election, which is estimated to have cost taxpayers around £250,000
A group of police officers are pictured outside the by-election count at Clacton Leisure Centre in Essex
It came after the declaration of the result in Clacton was overshadowed by a row over why Mr Farage stayed away.
He announced in the early hours that he would not attend, becoming the first by-election winner since IRA prisoner
Bobby Sands in 1981 to miss his own declaration.
‘I’m sad to say that after 33 years of being a candidate in active politics, I’ve been advised tonight by Essex Police that there is an organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result that will take place in a few hours’ time,’ Mr Farage said.
However Essex Police denied advising any candidate not to attend the count.
It said: ‘Our aim was to ensure the people of Clacton were able to go about their daily business, that people were able to cast their vote safely and that the count took place without issue.
‘We are pleased to say all of these things happened and there were no incidents or issues.
‘The decision of candidates to attend or not attend the election count is a decision for individuals and their security teams.’
