Nigel Farage has won the Clacton by-election - but refused to attend the count, saying he does not want to be “demeaned and humiliated by nobodies”.
The Reform UK leader secured 22,239 votes to retain the Essex seat. His closest rival was Count Binface, who won 9,455 votes.
Mr Farage pre-empted the official announcement by telling supporters he had secured more than the 21,225 votes he won when he took the constituency at the 2024 general election.
However, speaking at a “Farage Fest” event in Essex, he said he would dodge the traditional declaration after being given notice of an “organised campaign” to “disrupt and degrade the result”.
He said: “I’m damned if I’m going to stand on a stage, having won a resounding victory, a ringing endorsement of all that I’ve tried to fight for, and you’ve tried to fight for, and be demeaned and humiliated by nobodies, and I will not sadly be attending the count.”
Mr Farage quit as an MP to fight a “people versus the establishment” by-election as he faced financial allegations surrounding a £5million donation and a parliamentary probe.
All of the main political parties boycotted the poll, leaving Mr Farage’s most high-profile challenger as Count Binface - a self-described “intergalactic space warrior” dressed as a giant rubbish can.
Follow below for the latest updates...
Who is Count Binface?
09:58 , Rachael Burford
After all of the main political parties boycotted the Clacton by-election, a man with a bin on his head emerged as the most high-profile contender among the 33 challenging Nigel Farage.
The creation of London comedian Jon Harvey, Count Binface has been standing in elections since 2017 when he challenged Theresa May’s constituency as his Lord Buckethead character.
He ran against Boris Johnson in Uxbridge and South Ruislip in 2019, and stood in Rishi Sunak’s Richmond and Northallerton seat at the 2024 general election.
He also went up against Andy Burnham in the Makerfield by-election, and ran in the London mayoral elections in 2021 and 2024,
Count Binface describes himself as an “intergalactic space warrior, leader of the Recyclons from Sigma IX and part-time politician on Earth”.
In Clacton he won 9,455 votes (26.71%), his best ever result.
Ahead of the poll he had outlined ten key pledges for Clacton, with many directed against Mr Farage specifically.
They included spending more time in Clacton-on-Sea than in Washington DC and not accepting £5 million gifts from crypto billionaires (on Earth).
Here’s what happened when I asked @CountBinface to say something nice about @Nigel_Farage. #Clacton @itvanglia pic.twitter.com/M9wzy1hsz4
— Emma Volney (@emmavolney) August 14, 2026
Commons probe into Farage's finances reopens
09:25 , Rachael Burford
The investigation into donations received by Nigel Farage has been reopened.
When the Reform UK leader stood down as an MP, the probe by the parliamentary commissioner for standards was paused.
But it has now been resumed, according to the Commons website.
Parliament's standards commissioner launched the investigation in May after Mr Farage failed to declare a £5 million gift he received before becoming an MP in the 2024 general election.
The money was a “gift” from Thailand-based billionaire Christopher Harborne.
MPs are allowed to accept gifts from donors, but they are supposed to declare if these might be thought to influence their actions.
Mr Farage insists he hasn't broken any rules, as there is an exemption for gifts that are "purely personal".
The money he received was used to pay for his personal security, he said.
Reform will 'of course' cooperate with parliament investigation into Farage's finances
08:51 , Rachael Burford
Lee Anderson says Reform will “of course” cooperate with a parliamentary investigation into a £5 million gift received by Nigel Farage.
The party chairman says that “as far as I’m concerned, and Reform UK are concerned, that the slate is wiped clean now in Clacton”.
Asked whether they would assist with a probe by Parliament’s standards watchdog, which is expected to resume as Mr Farage returns to the Commons, Mr Anderson tells BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Of course we will. We’ll always cooperate with any procedure within Parliament. That’s what we do.
“It’s not always a two-way thing in Parliament. We’ve tried many, many times in Parliament to be part of the democratic system. We’ve tried to get on select committees… the powers that be won’t allow us to do that.
“So you know, I know we’re only a small party, but we are a massive part of democracy in this country. We won’t shut up from the backbenches. We’ll carry on defending the rights of people in this country.”
'Planned disruption' stopped Farage attending Clacton council, says Lee Anderson
08:43 , Rachael Burford
Reform chairman Lee Anderson appears to suggest that Nigel Farage did not attended the Clacton by-election count because there was “some planned disruption”.
Previously a party spokesman had said Mr Farage was advised not to attend by police due to a “credible threat” but this has been contested.
Asked whether there had been a credible threat made against him, Reform MP Mr Anderson tells BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Well, he was told, and he said this in his speech earlier about five hours ago, that there was some planned disruption amongst I think it was some of the other candidates. I think that was the case.
“So why go there when you’ve got you know 35, sorry, 33 other other candidates who and their team… Why would you go there and listen to them being abusive when you can be with real people from the real world?”
Has Clacton by-election massively backfired for Nigel Farage?
08:28 , Rachael Burford
Victorious MPs bask in their moment of glory just minutes after election results are announced.
But Nigel Farage was nowhere to be seen after comfortably winning the Clacton by-election, with 22,239 votes.
He decided not to turn up for the count, or should it be for the Count.
Has the by-election gamble massively backfired for Nigel Farage? Read our analysis here.
Farage faces 'substantial political challenge' boosting Reform support
08:15 , Rachael Burford
Elections guru Sir John Curtice says Nigel Farage faces “quite a substantial political challenge” in trying to boost Reform UK support with the public after the Clacton by-election.
The professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde tells BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme: “In the immediate wake of the decision to call this by-election back on July 7, support for Reform did noticeably fall in the national polls, from around just under 27% to about 24%, which is where it still is this morning.”
“The political world, the electoral world, has changed in important ways since Nigel Farage precipitated the by-election,” he adds.
“Primarily, of course, because of the replacement of Keir Starmer by Andy Burnham. Labour have enjoyed a so-called Burnham bounce.
“Labour are currently narrowly ahead of Reform in the polls and, meanwhile, the Conservatives now find themselves four points adrift.”
No 'incidents or issues' at Clacton count, insist police
08:03 , Rachael Burford
Essex Police say there were no “incidents or issues” regarding the Clacton by-election on Thursday or overnight despite Nigel Farage refusing to attend the count over safety fears.
Whether candidates attend the election count is “for individuals and their security teams”, the police force adds.
A spokesperson said: “We have a full and robust policing operation in place around the Clacton by-election, as we do with all significant elections in our county.
“Throughout polling day our officers were visible right across Clacton and the Tendring district. We visited all 51 polling stations, our officers were out and visible on foot, in vehicles and our drone team patrolled by air.
“Our aim was to ensure the people of Clacton were able to go about their daily business, that people were able to cast their vote safely and that the count took place without issue.
“We are pleased to say all of these things happened and there were no incidents or issues throughout yesterday and into the early hours of this morning. We worked closely with Tendring District Council and their security teams throughout.
“We take the safety and security of our elected officials extremely seriously and, equally, we take our policing responsibilities around the democratic process seriously too.
“The decision of candidates to attend or not attend the election count is a decision for individuals and their security teams, our role is to make sure our policing operation is sufficiently robust to ensure the safety of all, and we are grateful to all of our officers, staff and the staff at Tendring District Council who worked through the night to ensure the safety of all.”
Investigation into Farage's finances must now 'crack on'
07:41 , Rachael Burford
Nigel Farage has come away from the Clacton by-election “looking daft”, according to the Liberal Democrats.
The party’s Cabinet Office spokeswoman Lisa Smart MP says the investigations into the Reform UK leader’s finances and funding must now “crack on”.
“Like most people who win a fight against a bin, Farage has come away looking daft and smelling of yesterday’s chip paper,” Ms Smart says.
“Now that he’s heading back to Westminster, the investigation into his shady financial affairs and £5 million ‘gift’ must crack on. Reform claims to fight for the people, but they answer to crypto-billionaires.
“Triggering a vanity by-election was a blatant attempt to dodge being held to account. The Liberal Democrats have proposed a ‘Clacton clause’ to a Bill going through parliament that would stop a stunt like this being pulled ever again.
“A sitting MP under investigation should never be able to weaponise a by-election into a taxpayer-funded attempt to escape scrutiny.”
07:26 , Rachael Burford
Count Binface says he was “the winning candidate of the candidates who bothered to turn up for the results” in the Clacton by-election.
The self-described “intergalactic space warrior” added that the result had “humiliated” Nigel Farage.
Binface received 9,455 votes to Mr Farage’s 22,239.
“I can officially say that I am the winning candidate of the candidates who bothered to turn up for the results,” he says.
“That’s right, 9,455 actual votes. Just eight weeks ago in Makerfield, I got 95.
“That means I’ve got against Nigel Farage 10,000% more votes than I got against Andy Burnham. What does that tell you?
“Well, it tells you that Nigel, who said that he didn’t want to be humiliated, maybe has been.
“As for me, I’m over the moon. I’m over your moon. I’m over my moons. And what comes next? Well, we shall see.
“But you know what? We know this for a fact. Over one in four people in this constituency would rather have Count Binface as their MP than the leader of Reform UK, and I’m just getting started.”
I came first in the Clacton by-election! Of the candidates who bothered to turn up for the results. Here is my victory speech! pic.twitter.com/PBaLO10P2j
— Count Binface (@CountBinface) August 14, 2026
Farage reveals why he didn't attend Clacton by-election count
07:13 , Rachael Burford
Nigel Farage said safety fears prompted the decision not to show up to the Clacton by-election.
But police did not tell the Reform UK leader to stay away from the leisure centre where ballots were counted.
Farage’s team judged there was 'sufficient anxiety, concern and threats' at count
06:50 , Rachael Burford
Nigel Farage is not at the Clacton count because his team judged there was “sufficient anxiety, concern and threats”, according to Reform’s deputy leader.
The party said overnight that police had told Mr Farage not to attend the count due to a “credible threat” against him, which it is understood is not the case.
Asked about the claim on GB News, Richard Tice said: “Well, as you can imagine, given everything that’s gone on in recent days and weeks, security is very paramount to all of us at Reform.
“Ultimately, it was judged by Nigel’s team that there was there was sufficient anxiety, and concern, and threats, that meant that whilst of course he would love to have been at the count, ultimately his security counts for more than anything else, and I don’t think anybody, frankly, should in any way question his… team’s judgment on that.”
Asked whether he could say anything more about information the party claims to have received that meant Mr Farage did not want to be on stage, he said: “No, I can’t. But I think we should just trust those tasked with keeping Nigel safe and alive, I hesitate to say, but that’s what the task is.
“And if a credible threat is perceived or a deep anxiety, whatever you want to term it, clearly they’re going to err on the side of caution, and that’s just the reality.
“So, yes, of course, it’s a shame he would have loved to have been there, but security is paramount, and everybody knows we’ve had a very, very difficult few weeks and last couple of months.”
Clacton 'no victory for Farage', says Labour
06:35 , Rachael Burford
Labour says the Clacton by-election is “no victory for Nigel Farage” and “shows he likely has so much to hide”.
Party chairwoman Bridget Phillipson MP says: “The mountain of sleaze and scandal he and Reform are now engulfed in has grown and grown while he’s been trying to distract the public by fighting a by-election against a bin.
“This morning, Nigel Farage shouldn’t be celebrating – he should wake up and smell the coffee. He must come clean with the public and put all the facts on the table over his secret £5 million gift, his relationship with a convicted fraudster, and the other scandals his Party is drowning in.
“Farage’s distraction by-election doesn’t clear his name – it just shows he likely has so much more to hide.”
More than 20 Clacton candidates fail to get over 100 votes
06:27 , Rachael Burford
A record 34 candidates contested the Clacton by-election, with over half failing to secure more than 100 votes.
Turnout for the bizarre poll was 44.37%, with a total of 35,401 votes cast.
Nigel Farage was the runaway winner, but Count Binface secured almost 10,000 votes.
The full results are:
- Nigel Farage (Reform) 22,239 (63.34%, +17.16%)
- Count Binface (Binface) 9,455 (26.93%)
- John Stevens (Rejoin) 492 (1.40%)
- Tony Francis (Ind) 432 (1.23%)
- Pamela Walford (Ind) 371 (1.06%)
- Laurence Fox (Reclaim) 347 (0.99%)
- William Clouston (SDP) 256 (0.73%)
- Nick Pelas (Ind) 202 (0.58%)
- James Ransley (Consensus) 192 (0.55%)
- Stephen Ingram (Ind) 159 (0.45%)
- Kai Stephens (BDP) 132 (0.38%)
- Attieh Fard (Ind) 126 (0.36%)
- Derrick Morris (Ind) 100 (0.28%)
- Martyn OBrien (Ind) 65 (0.19%)
- Martin Davies (FA) 60 (0.17%)
- Robin Green (Ind) 59 (0.17%)
- Rees Cowne (Ind) 50 (0.14%)
- Adham Alkhatip (Forward) 49 (0.14%)
- Amy Morris (Ind) 46 (0.13%)
- Andy Erlam (Ind) 44 (0.13%)
- Joseph 77 (Ind) 42 (0.12%)
- Nick The Incredible Flying Brick (Loony) 28 (0.08%)
- Ketankumar Pipaliya (Voice) 21 (0.06%)
- Michael O’Keefe (Ind) 19 (0.05%)
- Howling Laud Hope (Loony) 18 (0.05%)
- Tony Cane (Ind) 17 (0.05%)
- Daniel Pocock (ND) 16 (0.05%)
- Baron Von Thunderclap (Loony) 15 (0.04%)
- Abi Hookway (Ind) 14 (0.04%)
- Marc Wilkinson (Ind) 11 (0.03%)
- Marcus White (Everyone) 10 (0.03%)
- Gerry Smith (Ind) 9 (0.03%)
- Woke Trump Carrzee (Ind) 8 (0.02%)
- Glenn Cummings (Ind) 7 (0.02%)
Nigel Farage secures comprehensive win
06:08 , Rachael Burford
Nigel Farage has won the Clacton by-election with 22,239 votes but will not be at the count to make a victory speech.
His closest rival was Count Binface, who secured 9,455 votes.
Results being declared in Clacton
06:04 , Rachael Burford
Results are now being declared in the Clacton by-election...
05:50 , Rachael Burford
A record 34 candidates ran in Calcton- the highest number to stand in a by-election in modern times.
Those running include 20 independents and a number of joke contenders.
Among the others are former actor and leader of the Reclaim Party, Laurence Fox.
According to the party website, Reclaim exists to challenge “woke orthodoxy” and promote “freedom of speech”, which it sees as being “under grave peril”.
Three Monster Raving Loony Party candidates ran, alongside the Social Democratic Party, and Rejoin EU.
The Labour Party, the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Greens and Restore Britain all boycotted the poll.
Essex Police has not advised Farage to dodge the count
05:27 , Rachael Burford
Essex Police did not advise any Clacton candidate to not attend the by-election count.
The force said in a statement: "We have a proportionate and robust policing operation to ensure the safety and security of all participants in the count."
Farage has confirmed he will not be attending because police told him of "an organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result".
He told an event he would not be "demeaned and humiliated by nobodies" and a spokesperson for the party claimed there was a "credible threat" against him.
Could by-election backfire for Farage?
05:23 , Rachael Burford
Nigel Farage took a gamble in resigning from the Commons and seeking to get re-elected as the MP for Clacton.
He was always going to win but the question was by how much, and why he quit in the first place.
The Reform UK leader evokes strong feelings among voters, with very roughly a fifth or a quarter of them backing the party, according to recent polls.
Mr Farage’s challenge was to try to get out as much of the vote in Clacton as he could to show that its voters were still strongly behind him, and to win by a hefty margin.
Whether people think he has achieved this may partly depend on whether they are pro or anti-Farage.
Reform cancel's Farage 'victory lap'
05:20 , Rachael Burford
Nigel Farage’s planned “victory lap” after winning the Clacton by-election has been cancelled.
A Reform UK spokesman confirmed the event planned for later this morning would not go ahead.
It comes after Mr Farage announced that he will not be attending the election count because police informed him of "an organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result".
He said he did not want to be "demeaned and humiliated by nobodies" and a Reform UK spokesman said there was a "credible threat" against him.
But Ian Davidson, who is in charge of the by-election, insisted the count was "safe and secure”.
He added: “I do not believe there is any threat serious enough to be able to call off the count."
Why was the by-election called?
05:05 , Rachael Burford
Nigel Farage triggered the by-election by quitting as MP for Clacton.
The Reform UK leader announced on July 7 that he was resigning from Parliament, accusing “the Establishment” and the media of targeting him over his financial affairs.
He urged voters in Clacton to use the by-election to "stick two fingers up at the establishment".
His critics say his move was because he was coming under increasing pressure over his financial affairs including from a probe by Parliament’s standards commissioner into a £5 million crypto donation.
Mr Farage denies any wrongdoing.
Returning officer: 'No reason not to proceed with count'
04:44 , Michael Howie
Acting returning officer for the by-election, chief executive of Tendring District Council Ian Davidson has said there is a “robust policing operation” in place.
He told the count after Mr Farage’s speech: “We work very closely with Essex Police and have done so throughout this process, and continue to do so tonight, and we will be continuing the count, as we always do, in a safe and secure manner.”
In a later statement, Mr Davidson said: “We have worked closely with Essex Police colleagues to ensure the election process is completed safely and securely, as is evident from the level of security we have in place here today.
“This includes a robust policing operation throughout the day and including at the count.
“It is a candidate’s decision whether or not to attend the count.
“However I want to reassure people we have no reason not to proceed with the count process at this time.”
Farage shuns Clacton by-election count after ‘advice from Essex Police’
04:37 , Michael Howie
Nigel Farage has said he will not attend the Clacton by-election count after advice from Essex Police about a plot to embarrass him on stage during the announcement of the result.
Speaking at a “Farage Fest” event in Essex, organised by Reform UK, that he would dodge the traditional declaration of the results after being given notice of an “organised campaign” to “disrupt and degrade the result”.
Mr Farage said: “I’m sad to say that after 33 years of being a candidate in active politics, I’ve been advised tonight by Essex Police that there is an organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result that will take place in a few hours’ time.
“Once again it shows you the sheer intolerance, the sheer loss of fundamental democratic principles that those that went before us, fought in world wars, to fight for and preserve.”
Mr Farage added: “I’m not scared of these people, far from it. But I’m damned if I’m going to stand on a stage, having won a resounding victory, a ringing endorsement of all that I’ve tried to fight for, and you’ve tried to fight for, and be demeaned and humiliated by nobodies, and I will not sadly be attending the count.”
🚨 WATCH: Nigel Farage says he will not attend the Clacton by-election count after advice from the police
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) August 14, 2026
"There is an organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result that will take place in a few hours time" pic.twitter.com/aOG7RNISXm
Good morning
04:33 , Michael Howie
Welcome to our live coverage of the Clacton by-election result.
Counting is under way in the Essex seaside town in a contest that has pitted Reform UK leader Nigel Farage against an array of fringe candidates - including a man with a bin on his head.
Stay with us as we bring you the build up to the declaration, the result and all the reaction.
