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Farage wins Clacton byelection
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Nigel Farage won Clacton byelection with 22,239 votes (63.34%), beating Count Binface. The win resumes a probe into his £5m gift, so the scandal isn't over.
Background
Farage triggered the byelection in July by resigning his seat amid a deepening scandal over a £5m gift from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne. All major parties boycotted the contest, leaving Farage's Reform UK as the only major party fielding a candidate. The by-election featured a record 34 candidates, including comedian Count Binface, who became his main rival.
How it unfolded
- Jul 2026Farage resigned as MP for Clacton, triggering the byelection, amid a scandal over an undeclared £5m gift from donor Christopher Harborne.
- Aug 13, 2026Polls closed at 22:00 BST in the record-breaking contest with 34 candidates and a nearly metre-long ballot paper.
- Aug 14, 2026Farage won with 22,239 votes (63.34%), beating Count Binface who took 9,455 votes (26.7%). Farage did not appear at the count, citing police advice about a plot to embarrass him.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Farage called it a 'convincing, overwhelming win' and said voters had 'stuck two fingers up to the entire political establishment'.
- Analysts
- The win may backfire as the parliamentary standards investigation into the £5m gift has been reopened, and Binface's strong showing signals slowing momentum for Reform UK.
Still unverified
Farage's claim that police advised him of a plot to embarrass him at the count has not been independently confirmed.