Key facts
- Nigel Farage is participating in a special election in Clacton.
- Farage resigned his parliamentary seat to address financial scrutiny.
- His primary opponent is the political satirist Count Binface.
- A record 34 candidates are on the ballot.
- Low voter turnout is anticipated due to summer holidays and high temperatures.
Tens of thousands of voters are participating in a special election in Clacton, a seaside resort near London, where Nigel Farage, leader of the anti-immigration Reform UK party, is facing a large field of candidates. Farage triggered this election by resigning his House of Commons seat last month, reportedly to address scrutiny over his finances, including an undeclared 5 million pound donation from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne. His primary opponent is Count Binface, a political satirist known for wearing a trash can on his head and for previously standing against former Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak.
The election features a record 34 candidates, including Howling Laud Hope of The Official Monster Raving Loony Party and Marcus White from the Everyone is God Party. The ballot paper is expected to be around 1 meter long. Low turnout is anticipated due to the ongoing summer holidays and a heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius. Historically, special elections see lower turnout than general elections.
Farage's move to trigger the election is described by political foes as a stunt. If he wins, as pollsters expect, a parliamentary investigation into his finances is set to resume. A breach of rules could lead to a recall petition and another election, potentially costing taxpayers significantly more. This election contrasts with Andy Burnham's recent return to Parliament via a special election, which subsequently led to him becoming Prime Minister.