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Votes being counted in Clacton by-election triggered by Nigel Farage - bbc.com
WorldBy https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews8/13/20261 min read
The Reform UK leader resigned from Parliament in order to trigger the by-election, which he stood in - alongside another 33 candidates.
✨ Key Highlights
- Nigel Farage won the Clacton by-election he triggered last month, securing 63.34% of the vote and increasing his vote share by 17.16 percentage points.
- Comedic candidate Count Binface, played by Jonathan Harvey, finished second with 26.9%; a Reform UK win had been widely expected as the main political parties boycotted the contest, branding it a political stunt.
- The standards commissioner's investigation into Farage has resumed, focusing on whether he should have declared a £5m gift received from a party donor in 2024.
- Farage cast the vote as a "people versus the establishment" contest, saying the people of Clacton should judge his actions, though rival parties insist he must still answer to the standards commissioner.
- Reform UK's Robert Jenrick argued the victory should "settle the matter", claiming most voters back Farage despite full knowledge of the allegations.
- Farage did not attend the count, saying he refused to be "demeaned and humiliated by nobodies"; a party spokesperson cited police advice, but the BBC understands Essex Police did not advise any candidate to stay away.
Nigel Farages decision to stand down as an MP and trigger a by-election in Clacton came as he was facing increasing scrutiny over his finances and a parliamentary investigation.
In early 2024, he r