Nigel Farage has challenged the ‘great and the good’ to force another by-election in Clacton after he was sworn in as an MP for the Essex constituency.
Speaking to GB News, the Reform UK leader took a defiant stance after he was returned to Parliament by a vote last month.
Mr Farage triggered a by-election after resigning as MP amid a parliamentary probe into donations he had received, pitching the vote as a “people vs establishment” battle.
He secured 22,239 votes in the contest, where other major parties chose not to field candidates, increasing his vote share from 46 to 63 per cent.
However, with the investigation into him reopened, the prospect of another by-election being called remains.
“If they, as the great and the good, want to stick two fingers up to the voters of Clacton, well, let them do it,” Mr Farage said.
“Bring it on for a second by-election night.”
Reflecting on his victory, the Reform leader admitted that the main concern before the contest had not been whether he would win, but whether he could mobilise enough voters during the summer holidays.
Nigel Farage has challenged the establishment to force a second Clacton by-election
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GB NEWS
“I always thought I’d get back,” he said.
“The problem was, could I get enough people to turn out on a date in the middle of August, when at least 10,000 working families in Clacton were actually on holiday?”
Mr Farage said he had aimed to secure a larger vote than he received at the last general election, arguing that this would make his return to Parliament worthwhile.
The Reform leader said the campaign had nevertheless helped him build personal connections with many constituents.
The Reform leader was speaking to GB News after he was sworn in as an MP
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GB NEWS
Mr Farage pledged his approach as an MP would remain largely unchanged on his return to Westminster.
“One of the good things about the by-election is I’ve now met a vast number of constituents. I bet more than almost any other MP in the country,” he said.
The Reform leader revealed he had given constituents his email address and encouraged them to contact him if they needed help, adding that he expected there to be a “lot of caseload work” in Clacton.
However, he said Reform’s relatively small parliamentary presence meant colleagues, like Richard Tice, would handle more day-to-day Commons work while he continued travelling around the country.
Mr Farage secured 22,239 votes in the by-election last month
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REUTERSOn elections, Mr Farage reiterated his belief that the next General Election would be held in May 2027.
“I think deteriorating public finances, plus a pretty uncertain outcome in Iran in terms of higher oil prices, also says to me that a government cuts and runs, rather than wait for the economic situation to get worse.
“That’s still my guess,” he said.
The Reform leader also confirmed he would field a candidate to challenge the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, triggered by the resignation of Sir Keir Starmer as an MP.