Clacton by-election opens with record 34 candidates as main parties boycott
The longest ballot in UK electoral history features Reform UK leader alongside novelty candidates, while Labour, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats withdraw from the contest.
Polls have opened in the Clacton by-election, marking the start of a contest featuring a record 34 candidates. The ballot is the longest in UK voting history, surpassing the previous record of 26 candidates set during the 2008 Haltemprice and Howden by-election. The seat, located in Essex, includes Clacton-on-Sea, Frinton, Walton-on-the-Naze and Jaywick, an area recently identified as the most deprived neighbourhood in England for the fourth consecutive time since 2010.
The by-election was triggered by Nigel Farage’s resignation from the House of Commons in early July. Farage, the Reform UK leader, stepped down to force a vote in an attempt to address complaints regarding a deepening scandal over gifts he received. He is expected to face a formal investigation by the parliamentary standards watchdog, which was opened in May after it was revealed he received a £5m personal gift from Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based crypto billionaire, in April 2024.
Farage has denied the gift amounted to an inducement to run for office, insisting it was personal in nature and a reward for Brexit. The inquiry also examines allegations that Farage was financially supported by convicted fraudster George Cottrell, a close friend, including for security and social media staff. Reform UK has dismissed reports of Cottrell’s support as a baseless and contrived story, maintaining that no parliamentary rules have been broken.
The standards investigation was suspended on 8 July following Farage’s resignation. It could restart as soon as Friday if he is re-elected. If parliament imposes sanctions for failing to declare the gifts, Farage may be removed from the Commons, potentially triggering a second by-election. The constituency has an older population than the English average, with 70% voting Leave in the EU referendum and a third of working-age people economically inactive.
Main political parties, including the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats, have boycotted the contest, describing it as a media circus and a vanity project. Instead, the ballot is dominated by novelty and fringe candidates, including comedian Count Binface, Howling Laud Hope, and actor Laurence Fox. Farage won the seat in the 2024 general election with 46.2% of the vote and a majority of 8,400, but has held only one national press conference since May and has not appeared keen to debate with other candidates.
