Nigel Farage wins Clacton by-election however snubs rely over ‘credible risk’
Reform leader Nigel Farage has won victory in the Clacton by-election but has skipped the count due to a claimed ‘credible threat’ against him
Nigel Farage has secured victory in the Clacton by-election but said he would not go to the count(Image: Getty Images)
Nigel Farage has secured victory in the Clacton by-election but said he would not go to the count because of what Reform UK said was a “credible threat” against him. Farage received 22,239 votes, compared to 9,455 for second-place candidate Count Binface.
The Reform UK leader pre-empted the official declaration made at 6am by telling supporters he had won “fairly convincingly” and the result on the hottest day of the year was an “overwhelming endorsement” of him.
However, he said he would not attend the official declaration of the result at Clacton Leisure Centre as Essex Police had told him about an “organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result”.
Farage claimed Essex Police had told him about an ‘organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result’(Image: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)
A Reform UK spokesperson later said: “Essex Police advised Nigel not to attend the count tonight due to a credible threat against him.”
However, the Press Association reports Essex Police did not tell Mr Farage, or any other candidate, not to attend the count.
A spokesperson for Essex Police said: “We have a proportionate and robust policing operation to ensure the safety and security of all participants in the count.”
Count Binface finished in second at the by-election(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The Reform leader told an all-night “Farage-fest” event organised by Reform in Essex: “I’m not scared of these people, far from it.
“But 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 was due to make what was billed as a “major speech” in Clacton at 10.30am on Friday, but Reform cancelled it, saying he had “already commented on the expected result of the by-election”.
A police officer at the count for the Clacton by-election at Clacton Leisure Centre(Image: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)
Essex Police directed inquiries on Mr Farage’s claims to Tendring District Council, who were running the election.
Council acting returning officer and chief executive Ian Davidson said he did not know that Mr Farage would not attend the count until the Reform UK leader announced it in his speech to his supporters.
“It is up to individual candidates’ wish to or do not wish to attend the count, but as far as we’re concerned we will be able to complete this count successfully and safely for all the candidates, my staff here and all the visitors,” Mr Davidson said.
lection workers count ballots at Clacton Leisure Centre after voting closed in the Clacton-on-Sea By-election(Image: Getty Images)
“I am not aware of what has been said, or what that threat is.”
Mr Davidson said Essex Police had assigned an assistant chief constable as part of a “Gold Command” policing operation.
He said he did not believe there was any threat serious enough for the count to be called off, but that he could not comment further on security matters.
The by-election was triggered by Mr Farage’s resignation over scrutiny of donations from a cryptocurrency tycoon. Labour and the Conservatives said his victory would not draw a line under the controversy.
In his speech, Mr Farage said, hours before the result was formally declared: “The verdict is now in, and it is a convincing, overwhelming win with more votes than we got in the general election of 2024.”
He added: “Today the voters in Clacton have stuck up two fingers to the entire political establishment.”
He earlier told GB News: “Look, this is an overwhelming endorsement of me. I have had enough of being judged by mainstream media, being called a criminal.
“Do you know, if I made one sin, if I haven’t filled in a piece of paper, I’ve broken no law, I’ve broken no tax law, I’ve taken no public money, I don’t even own a motorhome.”
A record 34 candidates were standing, with satirical candidate Count Binface appearing to be Mr Farage’s main challenger, after the other mainstream parties declined to stand.
Speaking to Sky News, Count Binface, a character created by Jonathan David Harvey, referred to the possibility of a second by-election in the seat if Mr Farage is found to have broken Parliamentary rules.
He said: “You just said at the beginning of this interview that Nigel Farage is claiming victory, but in that case it’s going to be a two-legged match like the Carabao Cup or the Cold War, because we’re going to be back again in a few weeks aren’t we? We’ll see what happens then.”
He added: “Even if I got to 12%, so one-in-eight people in Clacton would rather vote for a space warrior shaped like a bin than Nigel Farage.”
Turnout was 44.37%, just over 14% down from the 2024 general election.
