Nigel Farage has dramatically resigned as an MP to trigger a by-election in his Clacton constituency in protest at growing scrutiny over his personal finances, in a move condemned as “a desperate political stunt”.
The Reform UK leader, who is facing at least one probe over unregistered donations of cash and support to him, insisted he had done nothing wrong and accused his Westminster opponents of using sleaze investigations as a “political tool” against him.
He described the move to resign and restand for the party as “sticking two things up against the establishment” – but it was immediately condemned as “a waste of taxpayers’ money”.
The Conservatives and Restore UK have already ruled out putting up candidates against Mr Farage, with Kemi Badenoch declaring: “We’re not standing in a fake by-election.”
Mr Farage has been accused of “cracking under pressure” after coming under intense scrutiny over a £5m donation from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne and questions over his relationship with a convicted criminal George Cottrell, known as “Posh George”, who has also given him support.
In a defiant speech broadcast on social media with no questions from the press, Mr Farage claimed he was a victim of a conspiracy by the media and the establishment.
He said: “I’ve decided that the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions. This will be a people versus the establishment by-election.”
“It’s a chance to stick two fingers up to the entire establishment to frankly tell them where to go, and that is why I will be putting my name forward to stand in this by-election.”
However, in a hint that this was the last throw of the dice – and a final bid to keep his dying dream of one day becoming prime minister alive – Mr Farage admitted that he had discussed quitting politics altogether.
The by-election, which has been dubbed a “political stunt” by Sir Keir Starmer, is part of an attempt to consolidate Mr Farage’s support and see off the growing criticism he is facing.
Rival parties are mulling over whether or not to stand candidates to render the exercise a waste of time and money, with some pointing out that Mr Farage risks winning the by-election only to face a second contest just weeks later if the parliament’s sleaze watchdog find he has broken the rules.
In his shock statement on Tuesday afternoon, the Reform leader lashed out at the media following the Sunday Times investigation into his links to Mr Cottrell and a row with Sky News over the alleged mistreatment of his family, adding he had “never been angrier in my life”.
“For some reason, last week the editor of The Times newspaper decided to publish a picture of where my daughter lives”, he said. “There is no public interest in my daughter whatsoever.”
He claimed she has had “broadcasters haranguing her”, including Sky News, while The Times published a photo of the house as part of an investigation into Mr Farage’s property empire.
Sky News said it had made “reasonable efforts” to contact Mr Farage who it said had “legitimate questions to answer”. It said it had “approached the property off-camera on a single occasion, identified ourselves, and the occupant chose not to engage”.
In an attempt to come out in front of criticism of the cost to the taxpayer of the by-election, which could total over £300,000, Mr Farage said Reform UK had offered to cover the costs.
“Given that we asked for this by-election in the first place, it’s only right that we pay for it”, he said, in an attempt to draw a line with Labour who faced criticism for the cost of the Makerfield by-election which saw Andy Burnham return to Westminster to challenge Sir Keir for the Labour leadership.
Ms Badenoch, whose party is best placed to beat Mr Farage and previously held the seat, confirmed the Conservatives would not stand a candidate in the Clacton by-election.
She accused Mr Farage of having a “hissy fit” over the donations scandals, adding: “He is a man who is cracking under pressure. That’s why he was shouting at journalists yesterday. And what we have to ask ourselves is, is this someone who can do the top job?”
She added: “In doing this, what he is saying is that he’s already guilty, it feels like an admission of guilt.”
Speaking at the Nato summit in Ankara, Turkey, Sir Keir Starmer blasted Mr Farage’s actions, saying: “This is a desperate stunt from Nigel Farage and it’s obvious why he’s doing it – he is up to his neck in sleaze.”
A spokesman for prime minister-in-waiting Mr Burnham said: “This is a gimmick designed to distract from serious allegations about Farage’s funders.”
Green Party leader Zack Polanski dubbed Mr Farage “a grifter brought down by his own grifting”.
Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said Mr Farage’s statement was a “self-obsessed diatribe delivered by a Temu Trump who seems to think he is sat in the Oval Office”.
But a long term ally Raheem Kassam, who last week hosted him in Washington DC, said: “Farage’s move today is genius at multiple levels. It defangs the media, turning any and all issues into a democratic exercise, rather than allowing himself to be tried by the nation’s corrupt press;
“It stuffs the Tories and Restore. If they campaign against him in Clacton, they’re showing a clear sign that they are in line with the corporate media and uniparty Westminster consensus.”
But former Reform MP and leader of the rival Restore Britain party, Rupert Lowe, hit back saying the party would also not stand in the by-election.
“We are not going to participate in a Reform-sponsored media circus over the summer months that is designed to puff up Farage’s ego and deflect away from wholly fair questions over why he has concealed such vast and irregular financial donations,” he said.
