Farage says he will not attend vote count amid ‘plot to embarrass him’
Nigel Farage has said he will not attend the Clacton byelection count after advice from Essex police about a plot to embarrass him on stage during the announcement of the result.
The Reform UK leader pre-empted the official announcement of the result of the byelection by telling supporters he had secured more votes than when he won the seat at the ۲۰۲۴ general election.
Farage called the result a “convincing, overwhelming win” that would surpass the ۲۱,۲۲۵ votes he received just two years ago, PA Media is reporting.
However, speaking at a “Farage Fest” event in Essex organised by Reform UK, he said he would not attend the traditional declaration of the results after being given notice of an “organised campaign” to “disrupt and degrade the result”.
Acting returning officer Ian Davidson said it was Farage’s decision “whether or not to attend the count”.
Key events
Opening: Farage expected to win ‘desperate stunt’ byelection with results due in coming hours
Hello and welcome to this special UK politics live blog, where we will be bringing you the result from Nigel Farage’s latest vanity parade. Sorry, I mean the ۲۰۲۶ Clacton byelection.
Thousands of residents in the Essex seat voted on Thursday in a ballot featuring Nigel Farage and a range of novelty and fringe candidates led by Count Binface, after all the main political parties (and Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain) decided against fielding candidates.
Farage resigned as the MP for Clacton at the start of July and forced a byelection in what he claimed was an attempt to address complaints over a deepening scandal about gifts he received.
However, leaders from across the political spectrum branded the Reform UK leader’s scheme a “desperate stunt” to avoid scrutiny.
Should he win the byelection – and polling suggested he was on course to see off main rival Count Binface – Farage is expected to face a formal investigation by the parliamentary standards watchdog, which was opened in May after the Guardian revealed he had received a £۵m personal gift from Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based crypto billionaire, in April ۲۰۲۴.
Farage has denied the gift amounted to an inducement to run for office, insisting it was personal in nature. He has given a series of explanations for the gift, including that it was for his security and a reward for Brexit.
If parliament imposes sanctions for failing to declare the gifts, he may be removed from the House of Commons and face a second byelection.
But that is a discussion for another day – or, possibly, later this morning. As it is, stay with us and we will bring you the results (expected any time between ۵am and ۸am), as well as all the usual news and reaction as the day unfolds.
