Politics Home Article | Labour and Tories Refuse To Stand Candidates In Clacton By-Election

Nigel Farage resigns as the MP for Clacton, triggering a by-election. (Alamy)

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Farage has triggered a by-election in Clacton after resigning as MP in what he said would be “a people versus the establishment” contest. 

The Reform leader is under investigation by the parliamentary authorities over allegations that he did not correctly report a £5m gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.

He is also facing an investigation over undeclared donations from close friend George Cottrell, who has been convicted of fraud in the US.

On the decision to not stand a candidate in the by-election, a Labour party spokesperson said: “Labour’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee, has decided not to stand a candidate in this circus.

Instead, Labour will remain focused on delivering for working people and holding Reform to account. Farage should let the parliamentary investigation into his finances run its course and face the consequences.”

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also confirmed that her party will not stand a candidate in the by-election.

“We will be standing a candidate in the real by-election, which will follow the standards investigation into Nigel Farage’s fishy finances. We will not be standing a candidate in the fake by-election that Farage is causing to distract people from what is happening.

The best thing for him to have done would have been to call a press conference and explain what he did with the money, apologise if needs be, and that would have been the end of it. Instead, he has been running away from scrutiny. No one is bigger than parliament. We all have to register our interests.

We, the Conservative Party, are very focused on uniting the country around sensible policies.”

The Liberal Democrats have also said they will not stand a candidate in the by-election. Party leader Ed Davey said: “If this by-election does go ahead now, we are calling on all parties to stand aside and refuse to give oxygen to Farage’s vanity project.”

Davey also went further in calling on the government to block the election until the parliamentary standard’s commissioner has finished his investigation.

“The people of Clacton should have all the facts before they cast their votes.”