Nigel Farage has been reelected as MP for Clacton, after resigning amid ongoing scrutiny over a £5 million gift from British-Thai billionaire Christopher Harborne.
Farage stood down last month, saying he wanted to fight a “people versus the establishment” contest, putting the judgment over his finances to the people of Clacton instead.
The Reform UK leader secured a comfortable win with 62% of the vote, but all of the main political parties chose not to field candidates against him, describing the by-election as a “political stunt”.
So what happens now Farage is back and could the people of Clacton end up at the polls again this year?
Why did Farage step down?
Nigel Farage stood down as an MP last month, quickly announcing he would stand for reelection in the same constituency in the ensuing by-election.
The Reform UK leader had been under investigation since May by the parliamentary standards commissioner over a gift of £5 million he received before being elected in 2024, and which he failed to declare upon entering the Commons.
His resignation as MP paused that inquiry, which has now been reopened by the parliamentary standards commission.
Under Commons rules, new MPs are required to register any gifts worth more than £300 they received in the previous year, within one month of taking office.
Purely personal gifts that have no relation to political or parliamentary activities do not need to be registered.
Farage has repeatedly insisted he has done nothing wrong and claimed he wanted voters to “be the judges of my actions”.
What happened at the by-election?
After Farage triggered the by-election, all major parties took the decision not to field candidates, instead accusing him of creating a “publicity stunt” aimed at “distracting” from the parliamentary investigation.
In total, 34 candidates stood in the Clacton by-election, making it the most contested seat in British history.
The absence, however, of any other credible opposition meant comedy candidate Count Binface, who has stood in multiple high-profile elections, became Farage’s strongest opponent.
When the results were announced, Farage won 22,239 votes – 63% of the total.
Count Binface won 9,455 – 27%.
Farage did not attend the election count where his victory was announced, amid claims of an “organised campaign” that sought to “humiliate him” at the results.
A Reform UK spokesperson said Essex Police had reported a “credible threat”, but the force said it had not advised any candidates about attending the count.
Essex Police said: “The decision of candidates to attend or not attend the election count is a decision for individuals and their security teams, our role is to make sure our policing operation is sufficiently robust to ensure the safety of all, and we are grateful to all of our officers, staff and the staff at Tendring District Council who worked through the night to ensure the safety of all.”
Has the investigation gone away?
The parliamentary investigation into Farage’s finances was paused when he stood down as an MP, but resumed on Friday morning.
Farage will be sworn in again when parliament returns from its summer recess on September 1.
What happens if Farage is found to have breached the rules?
The Parliamentary Standards Committee does not have the power to directly punish rulebreakers, but can recommend courses of action for the prime minister to take, the most severe of which is a suspension from parliament as an MP.
If this suspension lasts for longer than 10 days, a recall petition can be triggered in that MP’s constituency, which would mean another by-election for Clacton.
All of the major parties have indicated they would field candidates if this were to happen.
A recall petition successfully triggers a by-election if 10% of the registered electorate in that constituency signs it.
Farage has continually argued that he has not breached any rules, as the £5 million gift was given to him in a personal capacity before he was an MP.
Are there any other investigations?
As well as the parliamentary investigation, questions have also been raised about Farage’s involvement with convicted fraudster George Cottrell.
Long-time aide Cottrell is reported to have provided funding for multiple aspects of Farage’s operation ahead of his election, including for staffing, security and housing, according to The Sunday Times.
The newspaper said Cottrell recruited and paid three staff to work on Farage’s social media before the general election, and has continued to allow him to use a five-story Georgian townhouse he rented near Buckingham Palace.
The Parliamentary Standards Committee has not confirmed whether it is investigating the claims, but Reform has insisted “no rules have been broken” as it was before Farage became an MP.
Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice is also under investigation by parliament’s standards watchdog over an alleged failure to declare an interest.
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