Nigel Farage resignation defined – why he give up, how by-election will work and management

The bold strategy, which Nigel Farage hopes will end the ‘campaign’ against him, has drawn criticism from rivals, with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch calling it a “hissy fit”

View 6 Images

Reform head honcho Nigel Farage has once again thrown UK politics into total chaos by announcing that he is quitting as MP for Clacton and asking voters to elect him all over again.

The dramatic move comes amid a sea of scrutiny directed at Farage over an alleged failure to disclose financial support, although the Reform leader insists that he is has done “nothing wrong”.

He says he wants his voters, as opposed to Westminster and what he calls the “Left wing media” to decide his fate in a unique local by-election.

Here’s what has happened so far and what could come next…

Why has Farage resigned?

Farage says he wants the people of Clacton, and not the media or the other political parties, to be the “judges” of his actions.

The Reform leader has been under investigation by Parliament’s standards commissioner since May this year over a £5million gift from donor Christopher Harborne which he did not register before becoming an MP.

It was also revealed on Tuesday that Farage is now facing a second inquiry over allegations that he failed to declare support from long-time ally George Cottrell.

Farage insists he has “done nothing wrong”, and says he has not broken the law, adding that the claims he faces are part of a long-running establishment campaign against him.

Instead of waiting for the investigations to run their course, he says he wants to take his case straight back to voters.

Calling it a “people versus the establishment” by-election, Farage said: “The people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions.”

Can an MP just resign?

Yes, well, sort of.

MPs can’t just hand in their notice like you or me. Instead, they have to accept what is called an honorary Crown appointment, a posh-sounding but essentially meaningless title that automatically disqualifies them from serving in Parliament.

According to Reform, Farage will be appointed either Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds or Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead.

Once that happens, the Clacton seat officially becomes vacant.

How will the by-election work?

Once Parliament declares the seat vacant, a writ (the formal legal order that starts the by-election) is issued in the House of Commons.

Reform has said that it wants this to happen as soon as possible, and definitely before Parliament breaks up for the summer, meaning voters could head back to the polls as soon as next month.

Farage has already confirmed he will stand as Reform UK’s candidate.

Voters in Clacton will simply elect a new MP in the usual way. If Farage wins, he returns to Westminster. If he loses, someone else becomes the constituency’s MP.

Will Farage still be Reform leader?

Yes, Farage has resigned as an MP, not as leader of Reform UK.

He says that he is going to fight the by-election as the party’s leader and says he wants to continue what he called Reform’s “political revolution”.

Does resigning stop the investigations?

Put simply, no, it does not.

Parliament’s rules mean the investigations will resume if Farage wins the by-election and returns as a Reform MP.

So, while resigning does trigger a fresh vote in your constituency, it does not make the standards inquiries, nor the scrutiny from the media or from voters, necessarily disappear.

Who will pay for the election?

By-elections are normally paid for by the taxpayer, something often used as a point of criticism towards those who call them.

Farage says Reform has offered to cover the cost itself, saying the party asked for the by-election so it is “only right” that it pays.

However, it is currently unclear whether election rules would allow that offer to be accepted.

For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.