Farage resigns to force Clacton by-election as major parties boycott
Farage resigns to force Clacton by-election as major parties boycott
Nigel Farage triggered a by-election in his Clacton seat by resigning as an MP, framing the contest as a battle with the "establishment" as mainstream parties refuse to stand.
- Nigel Farage resigned as MP for Clacton and called a by-election, stating he was giving voters a chance to back him against the "establishment".
- The by-election will be held on 13 August 2026; the writ was received by Tendring District Council on 10 July.
- Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, and the Green Party have all declined to field candidates, describing the contest as a stunt.
- Declared candidates include comedian Count Binface, actor Laurence Fox, and Piers Corbyn; the investigation into a £5m undeclared gift to Farage has been suspended during the by-election.
Coverage
Read the original reportingThis brief was compiled from 2 outlets, over 140 hours of coverage. Each is listed below with the headline it led on, so you can compare them yourself.
Nigel Farage is just one strand in the tangle of rightwing politicians and crypto investors | John Harris
‘It’s Wizard of Oz stuff’: Clacton voters divided over Farage byelection
‘He goes a bit funny if you use his real name’: the unstoppable rise of Count Binface
Martin Rowson on Nigel Farage’s byelection campaign – cartoon
One thought on the Clacton contenders: the ‘establishment’ looks a bit different these days, doesn’t it? | Marina Hyde
Clacton by-election date set for 13 August
A bin, two foxes and a fish finger: The candidates fighting Clacton
Reform byelection campaign risks a replay of the Johnson error
Ben Jennings on Nigel Farage’s byelection announcement – cartoon
Five pressing questions for Reform UK about its finances
Nigel Farage v Count Binface - podcast
Count Binface: The candidate wanting to stand in by-election against Farage
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