Voting has closed in one of the UK’s more unusual and least tense byelections, with Nigel Farage set for a decisive if arguably empty victory against dozens of independent, fringe, extreme or otherwise oddball opponents.
The Reform UK leader sought re-election to his Clacton seat in early July in an attempt to regain the political initiative following weeks of scrutiny over gifts he received and other aspects of his financial affairs.
He framed the byelection as a chance for local voters to show their disdain for mainstream politics in a “people versus the establishment” contest, but was caught out after all the other main parties declined to stand candidates.
Farage, 62, was instead left competing against a vast if decidedly niche field of 33 other hopefuls, including 20 independents, several representatives from tiny parties and no fewer than three candidates from the Official Monster Raving Loony party.
The result, due to be announced from around 6am on Friday, will inevitably be a clear Farage win, with the only question being his margin of victory over Count Binface, the self-styled campaigning alien who is the most prominent of his opponents.
While Reform will necessarily style the result as a clear endorsement of Farage’s record in the Essex seat, and of his tactic in calling the byelection, opponents will seize on any signs of a lower-than-expected majority or a slim turnout.
Farage is being investigated by the parliamentary standards watchdog over allegations he failed to declare gifts and donations, including a £5m gift from the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne, first revealed by the Guardian.
The process was paused when he resigned as an MP, but will resume once he is re-elected. If he is found to have breached declaration rules and suspended from the House of Commons, this could trigger a second byelection, which the other main parties would contest.
While Farage insists he has relished a summer of knocking on doors in his constituency, he has been less visible on the national political stage – in part because of rules connected to how broadcasters must ensure balance during elections.
Farage has insisted he did not need to declare the £5m from Harborne as it was given in advance of his return as Reform leader before the 2024 election. He has, however, given a series of explanations for the gift, including that it was for his security and a reward for Brexit.
The parliamentary inquiry is also looking into allegations that Farage was financially supported by the crypto gambler and convicted fraudster George Cottrell, a close friend, after the Sunday Times reported that Cottrell’s support included security and social media staff who worked on Farage’s online content in the year before he was elected.
The 34-candidate field in the Clacton byelection is a UK record, beating the July 2008 contest in Haltemprice and Howden, East Yorkshire, regained by the Conservative MP David Davis after he resigned his seat and stood again as a protest over civil liberties.
