Key facts
- Nigel Farage won the Clacton by-election with 22,239 votes, securing 63 percent of the total.
- Satirical candidate Count Binface received 9,455 votes.
- The by-election turnout was 44 percent.
- Farage did not attend the election count due to advice of a campaign to disrupt the result.
- Parliamentary investigations into Farage's finances will resume.
Nigel Farage has won the Clacton by-election, securing 63 percent of the vote against satirical candidate Count Binface. Farage did not attend the election count, citing advice of a campaign to disrupt the result, and parliamentary investigations into his finances are set to resume.
Farage's campaign employed a dual strategy, portraying him as both a champion for local Clacton residents and an insurgent leader targeted by the 'establishment.' Reform UK spent over £10,000 on digital advertisements on Meta platforms, focusing on issues such as low-level crime, housing, and infrastructure. Paid ads suggested Farage was the only candidate to visit neglected areas, with one video featuring a local resident refuting claims that he had neglected the constituency.
The Reform UK leader triggered the special election amid scrutiny over his finances, including a £5 million donation from crypto-entrepreneur Christopher Harborne, which is under House of Commons investigation. Farage characterized this as a mere failure to fill out a parliamentary form. He also referenced the death of a senior Reform figure as a reason for needing funds for personal security.
Farage has a significant social media following and utilized paid features on platforms like Meta to promote his campaign, including urging supporters to display 'I'm with Nigel' garden signs. A nearly five-minute campaign video highlighted his connection with constituents and alleged 'foul means' used to hamper his party's success. The result of the election is expected early Friday.