Nigel Farage heckled as he returns to Parliament after Clacton by-election
The Reform UK leader had quit his seat earlier this year in protest after facing questions over a £5million gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne, and boasted he was free to splash it on Ferraris
Nigel Farage was sworn in as an MP on Tuesday
Nigel Farage was heckled as he was re-sworn in as an MP after the Clacton by-election.
The Reform UK leader quit his seat earlier this year in protest after facing questions over a £5million gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne. He boasted he was free to splash it on Ferraris or betting on horseracing.
Facing a Commons probe over his failure to declare the seven-figure gift from the Thailand-based tycoon, Mr Farage resigned, and then spent his summer arguing with a man dressed as a bin.
Returning to Westminster, Mr Farage was roundly mocked by MPs as he signed in as representative for Clacton. After the Speaker called for the MP who “wants to take his seat” to come forward, one MP joked “who is it”, prompting laughter across the Commons.
Once Mr Farage had sworn his oath, another pointed to the prospect of another vote in Clacton, saying “until the next by-election”.
As the former city banker entered the chamber, he was flanked by the Reform Deputy Leader Richard Tice, as well as Tory defector Andrew Rosindell.
Responding, a Labour Party spokesperson said: “Farage’s summer circus might be over, but the questions about his dodgy finances haven’t gone away. Now he’s back in Parliament, he should drop the excuses, come clean and finally take some responsibility. Fighting a bin didn’t clear his name – it just proved he had so much more to hide.”
He won the poll with a majority of 12,784, ahead of Count Binface, the self-styled “intergalactic space warrior” persona of Jon Harvey.
All the other major political parties had boycotted the race, branding it a “gimmick” and a “stunt” to try to distract from questions about a £5million gift Mr Farage received shortly before the 2024 general election. Mr Farage’s main rival was parody candidate Count Binface.
A Commons probe into the £5m gift Mr Farage received was suspended when he resigned as an MP. It was restarted when he was re-elected.
Parliament’s sleaze watchdog is still investigating his failure to declare the seven-figure gift. Commons rules state new MPs must declare relevant gifts and donations in the previous 12 months. The Electoral Commission is also considering whether to investigate.
It comes a week after it emerged the organisers of Mr Farage’s Clacton by-election victory rally – dubbed “Farage Fest” – are being investigated for failing to get permission to hold it.
The Reform UK leader faced criticism after he failed to show up for the result of the £250,000 contest he triggered earlier this month.
Instead he appeared in the early hours of the morning in the Essex countryside several miles from the count at a “Farage fest”, which boasted alcohol, ferris wheel, DJs and several fire pits.
Tendring District Council confirmed it had refused to grant a Late Temporary Event Notice (LTEN) as the application had not been made within the legal timescale required.
