Clacton by-election

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We live in a democracy so ultimately the people decide.

Let’s say Andy Burnham becomes PM, calls a snap election and Reform win with an overall majority of at least 326 seats.

Serious question. How on earth could it form a government even assuming its current eight MPs all retained their seats?

149 cabinet positions to fill including 23 cabinet positions. With whom?

The rate of attrition in local government is astonishing. 40 councillors have gone since May 2026 to add to the 73 who had already gone from the May 2025 intake. Do you really think the intake for Westminster seats would be any better?

It literally defies belief! Maybe this is what Reform are dreaming of, it would sadly, in all reality, fall apart, like many local councils have.

GrannyGravy13

Like you Cossy I know the area.

The fact that he has continued support, shows that the other parties have a long way to go connecting with those of the electorate who feel disenfranchised and unheard.

Yes I agree, though Farage’s two predecessors were both local and both very good MPs, they both started off as Tories, and they got involved in many local events and ran surgeries. Despite them not being my party of choice, they worked for their entire entire electorate.

We live in a democracy so ultimately the people decide.

Let’s say Andy Burnham becomes PM, calls a snap election and Reform win with an overall majority of at least 326 seats.

Serious question. How on earth could it form a government even assuming its current eight MPs all retained their seats?

149 cabinet positions to fill including 23 cabinet positions. With whom?

The rate of attrition in local government is astonishing. 40 councillors have gone since May 2026 to add to the 73 who had already gone from the May 2025 intake. Do you really think the intake for Westminster seats would be any better?

GrannyGravy13

Like you Cossy I know the area.

The fact that he has continued support, shows that the other parties have a long way to go connecting with those of the electorate who feel disenfranchised and unheard.

I appreciate that, GG13, but as Farage has dome nothing for his constituents (Just as he did nothing for those who elected him as an MEP) and his sketchy economic policies will do nothing for them they will achieve nothing to alleviate their problems by continuing to support him.

Cossy

FriedGreenTomatoes2

I don’t regard this as a ‘waste of money’ *Maw. It’s about validation. The main stream parties have imploded with their inability to lead the country. They have constantly ignored what voters want, trashed their own manifestos or, as this Labour government has, completely deceived the electorate.

We want change writ large and Reform are the only party offering that. We no longer care about the dates of when money should have been declared or Parliamentary rules.

Parliament is in disarray. It no longer represents the people and that's its core point of existence. We all know that Nigel isn't going to be found 'not guilty' by the way they treat him and Reform in Parliament, we've seen it with our own eyes.

This is Brexit all over again, same establishment, same Nigel, only this time we're fighting for the country.

In your opinion, FGT, many of us on here and throughout the country simply may not agree with you.

Many of us may not feel Labour deceived us, we may feel we were constantly deceived by Tories for 14 years.

If our electorate feels as you state, and have done so for years, why is Farage not our PM?

I 100% agree with you FGT. your summing up is excellent.

Like you Cossy I know the area.

The fact that he has continued support, shows that the other parties have a long way to go connecting with those of the electorate who feel disenfranchised and unheard.

Padstow13

I believe a character going by the name 'Count Binface' has nominated himself.

Is this a Monster Raving Looney Party candidate?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count_Binface

“Comedian and Independent Space Warrior Party!”

I will repeat what has been said at various times on both the current Farage threads.

Firstly, he cannot just 'resign', there is a process to be followed and both the Chancellor and Parliament can frustrate his move by delaying it.

Secondly, the Standards Commission is likely to stop their enquiries over the period when he is not an MP but they can carry on if he is re-elected; they can even carry on if he isn't re-elected if they are so minded and sanction him by barring him from the Parliamentary estate. Which would not only keep him away from Parliament but withdraw any privileges he might have as an ex MP.

Additionally, Farage throwing a hissy fit because he is being subjected to the same media scrutiny as any other MP could be is not particularly impressive.

Primrose, Farage has already “won”, there’s no need for a by-election. No one standing against him from the major parties is because this is a totally needless, stupid and unecessary election, why would anyone bother to stand against him and waste their time and money?

I simply cannot understand why Farage is doing this? It’s all theatrics and pointless.

The other parties refused to stand as they know it's a stunt to take the heat off Farage. They won't play his games.

GrannyGravy13

I was (and still am #lazygran) lazing around this morning and watching ITV Breakfast News.

They had a reporter in the Tendring constituency, all those who they vox popped were 100% for Nigel Farage.

He has still got a firm core of supporters, I guess that this must annoy others…

I don’t think “it annoys others”, I think it astounds some of us, however, those of us living in Essex might know the demographics of Tendring better than some. Whilst I’m still astounded that the good people of Clacton still support Farage, I’m also not surprised. They are the very people Farage is aiming at, they genuinely believe he is a “man of the people”, they feel disenfranchised by mainstream politics, remember they did have a UKIP MP (albeit one who crossed the floor from Tory), he was visible and he did work for the people of Clacton, they’ll see Farage in the same light. (I would imagine).

With Pier Ward and Jaywick within Farage’s wards, there are pockets of deprivation and very frustrated people. Farage is well aware of this, his “speech” yesterday will 100% be believed and will just strengthen support.

He did not need to call a by-election, he already has much support, it’s theatrics at its very worst, and, in my humble opinion, extremely Trumplike.

The way I see it is that if there is dirt to dig, it will be dug. If people break the rules, they will most likely ultimately be found out, and they will not only face the parliamentary consequences, they will be hounded by the media, and where there are facts about criminal activity, reported to the police. This is not the USA, and individuals are not able to bypass sanctions in the same way here.

My gut feeling is that Farage has run out of road, it wouldn’t surprise me if he resigns altogether rather than go through two by elections.

I believe a character going by the name 'Count Binface' has nominated himself.

Is this a Monster Raving Looney Party candidate?

FriedGreenTomatoes2

How rude to say “Have it if you want it” LemonJam!

I’m on holiday Maw so pop in less frequently but your thread about a by-election in Clacton interested me. It’s topical. It’s separate to the nebulous ‘Where’s Nigel’ thread.

You and I (plus any other interested in this specific topic) could just chat amongst ourselves then! 😂

One point I would like to make about this witch hunt of Farage, who has tried several times to make his point and feels very frustrated now.

Apparently in 2005, the Lib Dems took a donation of £2.4M, (about £4.6M today), from a convicted fraudster Michael Brown. The Lib Dems refused to give back the money to his victims, and the Parliamentary Ombudsman said the Electoral Commission "did not make adequate inquiries of the party" .

That was it, no parliamentary investigation, or media hue and cry. Now all parties are lining up to call Farage guilty, before any evidence or investigation.

I agree. It is a witch hunt and they are running scared. The cheek of Starmer on TV saying Farage was (something like) covered in sleaze. Starmer conveniently forgot all the sleaze HE was involved with including Mandelson, free handouts etc.

Of course the others refused to stand in the by election because they know Farage will win and they will look very stupid.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

I don’t regard this as a ‘waste of money’ *Maw. It’s about validation. The main stream parties have imploded with their inability to lead the country. They have constantly ignored what voters want, trashed their own manifestos or, as this Labour government has, completely deceived the electorate.

We want change writ large and Reform are the only party offering that. We no longer care about the dates of when money should have been declared or Parliamentary rules.

Parliament is in disarray. It no longer represents the people and that's its core point of existence. We all know that Nigel isn't going to be found 'not guilty' by the way they treat him and Reform in Parliament, we've seen it with our own eyes.

This is Brexit all over again, same establishment, same Nigel, only this time we're fighting for the country.

In your opinion, FGT, many of us on here and throughout the country simply may not agree with you.

Many of us may not feel Labour deceived us, we may feel we were constantly deceived by Tories for 14 years.

If our electorate feels as you state, and have done so for years, why is Farage not our PM?

I was (and still am #lazygran) lazing around this morning and watching ITV Breakfast News.

They had a reporter in the Tendring constituency, all those who they vox popped were 100% for Nigel Farage.

He has still got a firm core of supporters, I guess that this must annoy others…

nanna8

Hate to say it but it was so very predictable that they would dig the dirt on Farage. They really don’t like him, he is a threat to the establishment. I don’t particularly like him, either but the way they are going at him might well backfire.

I have no idea what you’re talking about!

No one has dug dirt on Farage, he’s been referred to the parliamentary ethics committee for something he may or may not have done wrong.

Who are “they” and what will “backfire on them”

I don’t regard this as a ‘waste of money’ *Maw. It’s about validation. The main stream parties have imploded with their inability to lead the country. They have constantly ignored what voters want, trashed their own manifestos or, as this Labour government has, completely deceived the electorate.

We want change writ large and Reform are the only party offering that. We no longer care about the dates of when money should have been declared or Parliamentary rules.

Parliament is in disarray. It no longer represents the people and that's its core point of existence. We all know that Nigel isn't going to be found 'not guilty' by the way they treat him and Reform in Parliament, we've seen it with our own eyes.

This is Brexit all over again, same establishment, same Nigel, only this time we're fighting for the country.

Farage doesn't care about the people of Clacton or the nation. Only doing this to save his own skin.

FGT Thanks for referring to my “Where’s Nigel” thread as nebulous, I don’t consider it so, Farage was actually nowhere to be found and had missed 77 consecutive votes and rarely spotted in Clacton.

However, notwithstanding that. that thread aside, there is a further more recent thread about Farage and his media circus and theatrical resignation and by-election.

Lemonjam wasn’t rude, just to the point and people often point out that threads already exist.

As for a Farage “witch hunt” that’s hilarious! He’s been referred to an ethics committee, as would any other MP, from any other party, they will decided whether he broke any rules or not! He’s already broken rules, by submitting late financial interests, it happens, he just has to “suck it up”.

If anyone has been subjected to a “witch hunt” it’s Starmer!

Hope you’re enjoying your holiday and wherever you are it’s not as hot as here!

LemonJam

My comment was not intended to be rude in any way. FGT- anyone can start a thread as I made clear.

Oh good!

This is already being discussed on two threads here. Are you wanting another one?

Perhaps in my defence against the thread police I felt moved to express my opinion -not on those involved in the by-election, or any manifesto (as if)- about the waste of taxpayers’ money - yours and mine- by this stunt designed solely to frustrate the inevitable investigation of Farage’s financial shenanigans.

nanna8

Hate to say it but it was so very predictable that they would dig the dirt on Farage. They really don’t like him, he is a threat to the establishment. I don’t particularly like him, either but the way they are going at him might well backfire.

What you don’t appear to understand really is that Farage is simply a mini-Trump. That is why he is so disliked. This latest stunt is so Trumpian. It is merely to get the narrative away from the charges of corruption, money laundering etc.

A BBC reporter has spoken to the people of Clacton. Some say it a good move by Farage. Others say they can't be bothered voting again and some are disappointed that they can't vote for someone else.
All said nothing has changed in Clacton since Farage became their PM. As he pays them no attention that is hardly surprising.

Hate to say it but it was so very predictable that they would dig the dirt on Farage. They really don’t like him, he is a threat to the establishment. I don’t particularly like him, either but the way they are going at him might well backfire.

“ however neutral the official bit of the process is, in the end the rulings have to go through a parliamentary vote in a Commons where Labour has a massive majority. I can understand Farage’s reservations”

This.