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Nigel Farage claims victory in UK parliamentary by-election
🇨🇭 Switzerland /Elections & Politics

Nigel Farage claims victory in UK parliamentary by-election

From Le Temps · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Nigel Farage claimed victory in the Clacton parliamentary by-election, despite the vote count being ongoing and boycotted by major parties.
  • Farage, leading the anti-immigration Reform UK party, stated he secured a "convincing and overwhelming victory" with more votes than in 2024.
  • The election featured a record 34 candidates, including satirical opponent Count Binface, with traditional parties boycotting the vote as a political maneuver.

Nigel Farage, leader of the anti-immigration Reform UK party, has declared victory in the Clacton parliamentary by-election, even as the vote count continues. The election, held Thursday in the seaside town of Clacton-on-sea, saw a peculiar contest where major traditional parties boycotted the proceedings.

I asked the voters of Clacton to be my judges. The verdict is in, and it is a convincing and overwhelming victory.

— Nigel FarageFarage declared his win in the Clacton by-election.

In a speech delivered in Essex and broadcast on X, the 62-year-old politician asserted, "The verdict is in, and it is a convincing and overwhelming victory." He claimed to have received significantly more votes than in the 2024 general election, expressing visible relaxation. Farage himself triggered this by-election in early July after facing issues related to undeclared donations.

The ballot, nearly two meters long, contributed to a slow counting process, with results expected early Friday. A record 34 candidates, mostly independents, competed. The Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat, and Green parties all boycotted the election, viewing it as a political stunt. Satirical candidate Count Binface, whose real name is Jon Harvey, stated it was his "humble duty" to represent the opposition in this unusual scenario.

If a majority of Clacton voters vote in favour of his return as MP, that choice must be respected.

— Count BinfaceThe satirical candidate acknowledged the potential outcome of the election.

While pre-election polls suggested Farage's win, the turnout rate of 44.37% is lower than in the last general election. Farage, who was first elected as a Member of Parliament for Clacton in July 2024 after seven previous attempts, was seen walking through the streets of Clacton on Thursday, posing for photographers with a beer in hand. Supporters of Reform UK, like Jane Embelton, dismissed the large number of candidates as an attempt to "make Nigel Farage look like an idiot," asserting that he is not viewed as such by his followers.

Everything is aimed at making Nigel Farage look like an idiot. But neither I nor his supporters see him as such.

— Jane EmbeltonA Reform UK activist commented on the nature of the election and the large number of candidates.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Temps in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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