Nigel Farage will contest a by-election in Clacton on 13 August after resigning as an MP to reclaim his seat, but all major Westminster parties are boycotting the contest. Labour, the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Greens and Restore Britain have declined to field candidates.
Comedian Count Binface has emerged as Farage's highest-profile opponent, with bookmakers pricing Farage at 1-6 and Binface at 4-1. Other candidates include Laurence Fox and Piers Corbyn. Reform UK had sought a 6 August poll but the legal timetable pushed it back a week. Voter registration closes 28 July.
The contest coincides with scrutiny of Farage's finances. A probe into an undeclared £5 million gift from donor Christopher Harborne was paused after his parliamentary exit, while questions persist over security funding linked to convicted fraudster George Cottrell. Former Conservative MP Giles Watling noted that Farage's 2024 majority was wiped out, leaving local opinion divided.