Nigel Farage heads out to vote in Clacton as he seeks to ward off challenge of Count Binface and 32 other rivals in record-breaking by-election
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By GREG HEFFER, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT
Published: | Updated:
Nigel Farage cast his vote in the Clacton by-election this morning as he seeks to ward off the challenge of joke candidate Count Binface.
The Reform UK leader headed to a polling station in the Essex seaside constituency in his bid to be re-elected to the seat he won at the 2024 general election.
'Three guesses who I voted for!', Mr Farage posted on social media shortly after he filled in his ballot paper.
The 62-year-old quit as Clacton MP last month to trigger the by-election in protest at scrutiny over his donations from wealthy backers.
Mr Farage declared he was forcing a 'people versus the Establishment' showdown, but the other main political parties boycotted the by-election as a 'stunt'.
It has left Count Binface, a perennial comedy candidate at Westminster contests, as the Reform leader's most notable rival.
He and Mr Farage are among a record 34 candidates standing in the by-election, which is estimated to have cost taxpayers £250,000.
Actor-turned-politician Laurence Fox, three contenders from the Official Monster Raving Loony Party and an array of independents are also standing in the seat.
Nigel Farage cast his vote in the Clacton by-election this morning as he seeks to ward off the challenge of joke candidate Count Binface
The Reform UK leader headed to a polling station in the Essex seaside constituency in his bid to be re-elected to the seat he won at the 2024 general election
The 90cm-long ballot paper of all 34 candidates has caused logistical problems for Tendring District Council and returning officer Ian Davidson.
The size of the ballot paper means larger tables than usual will be required at the count and the result will be announced on the floor of Clacton Leisure Centre rather than on a stage due to the number of candidates who would have to fit on it.
Photographers and TV cameras covering the count have been advised by officials they will need a wide-angle lens to fit all the candidates into a single shot.
Before quitting the House of Commons, Mr Farage was being investigated by a parliamentary watchdog over a £5million gift from cryptocurrency tycoon Christopher Harborne, which he received before he won his Clacton seat in 2024.
Under Commons rules, new MPs are required to register any gifts worth more than £300 they received in the previous 12 months, except where the gift 'could not be reasonably thought by others' to relate to their political activities.
That investigation was paused when Mr Farage resigned his seat but will resume if he wins the by-election – as bookmakers have made him the firm favourite to do.
Mr Farage could also face an investigation over support provided by George Cottrell, a convicted criminal and long-term ally.
Mr Cottrell reportedly recruited and paid three staff to work on Mr Farage's social media before the general election, and has continued to allow him to use a five-storey Georgian property he rented near Buckingham Palace.
A boycott by Britain's main political parties has left Count Binface, a perennial comedy candidate at Westminster contests, as Mr Farage's most notable rival in Clacton
Mr Farage said the by-election was a chance to 'stick two fingers up to the establishment'.
'At the beginning of summer we called this by-election to give the people of Clacton the chance to have their say on the endless political attacks on me, my family and those around me,' he said.
'It's given us the opportunity to knock on tens of thousands of doors, making the affirmative case for what I've done for the area, and what Reform will do for Britain.'
He added 'it's not just about me, it's about the people versus the establishment'.
Polls opened at 7am on Thursday and will close at 10pm.
The 34 candidates in Clacton beats the previous record of 26 candidates, set at the Haltemprice and Howden by-election in July 2008, which was triggered by Tory David Davis in his own seat and was similarly ignored by the main Westminster parties.
At the 2024 general election, Mr Farage won Clacton with 46.2 per cent of the vote and a majority of 8,405 over his Conservative rival.
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