𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Reform has delivered a huge bombshell, suggesting that the party’s leader and local candidate, Nigel Farage, would get even more votes if a second Clacton by-election were to take place. Mr Farage is now an MP once again following his victory last in the by-election triggered by his resignation in July. An array of candidates stood, including Count Binface, who garnered 9,455 to Mr Farage’s 22,239. Another vote could be called following the conclusion of an investigation by the Parliamentary standards watchdog into an alleged failure by the Reform leader to declare an interest when receiving a £5million gift.

The Express’ deputy political editor Steph Spyro told host James Walker in our podcast The Daily Expresso: “I’m speaking to Reform sources this morning. I don’t think they like the idea of a second by-election from what I’m picking up. But I’m assured that if there were to be one, Reform, Nigel Farage rather, would get more votes, which is quite interesting.

“They feel quite strongly about that. But they don’t see any issue with this first one being called. They think it should hold, it should stand.

“I think also Reform naturally wouldn’t fancy a probe, you know. That’s not where they’re at.

“I think they’re also recovering. The one I spoke to was eating pie and mash in a cafe, and I think it has been a long stretch on a campaign trail.”

Mr Farage did not attend the declaration of the result, telling supporters that Essex Police had warned him that there was an “organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result”.

Essex Police has said it did not advise any candidate that they should not attend.

Count Binface told locals during the campaign to vote for him in order to avoid hundreds of thousands of pounds being spent on another poll.

Labour and the Conservatives did not field candidates.

This was because they were “feart to stand up against Nigel Farage”, Reform Scotland’s deputy leader said.

Thomas Kerr told BBC Radio Scotland on Friday: “There was not a Labour candidate, there wasn’t a Conservative candidate, wasn’t a Green candidate, wasn’t a Lib Dem candidate, wasn’t a Restore candidate, because every single one of them were feart to stand up against Nigel Farage.”