Furious Farage erupts at establishment – ‘am I angry? I’m very angry’ | Politics | News
Reform UK leader and Clacton-on-Sea candidate Nigel Farage has declared he has “won” the by-election he called in July after resigning as an MP.
Speaking to GB News political editor Christopher Hope at a Reform rally in the constituency, dubbed Farage-Fest, Farage was bullish about his chances of victory. He also poured scorn on the main parties for failing to stand against him, while accusing his media opponents of mounting a personal campaign against him that had affected his close family.
Most political commentators expect Farage to comfortably win the seat, with particular attention focused on his best-known rival, Count Binface, who is the satirist and former In the Thick of It political comedy writer Jonathan Harvey. Count Binface has captured the imagination of Reform’s opponents, who have rallied around his campaign.
When asked if he had won, the Reform leader immediately replied: “Yes. Rather convincingly – and we managed to beat the establishment candidate.” He was referring to Count Binface.
When asked about the ongoing issue of whether he allegedly failed to declare a £5million windfall from investor and political ally Christopher Harborne, Farage simply replied: “Who cares? The voters of Clacton don’t care. Lib-Dem, Conservative and Labour canvassers have been out for Binface.
“They’re not going to win. The uni-party is not going to win. They’re not going to call a second by-election here they would be stupid to do so.”
He continued: “This is an overwhelming endorsement of me.”
“I have had enough of being judged by mainstream media, being called a criminal. Do you know if I made a sin it was not bringing in one bit of paper.
“I have broken no law, I’ve taken no public money, I don’t even own a motor home. I’m confident I’m right, we’ll see where we go.”
Farage went on to explain that he had put the issue to the people of Clacton and that it was now up to them to decide his future.
On the issue of turnout, he again rounded on Binface’s support from the main three parties, accusing him of being “the uni-party candidate” and claiming he was not backed by the “ordinary working people”, who Farage insisted supported Reform.
Hope asked Farage whether he was angry about the way he had been treated by “the establishment”.
He replied: “If you threaten my family, if you threaten the safety of my daughter, drive another member of my family into hiding. Am I angry? I’m very angry.”
Farage noted that it was “interesting” that the rhetoric directed at him and his family had dialled down since he called and campaigned for the Clacton by-election.
He concluded: “I was right to do this.”