UK Reform Party Splits Open Post Farages Clacton Win

Splits within Reform UK have burst into the open despite Nigel Farage’s comfortable victory in the Clacton by-election.

Senior party figures have been left baffled by their leader’s decision not to turn up for the result declaration.

A Reform UK spokesman said: “Essex Police advised Nigel not to attend the count tonight due to a credible threat against him.”

But this was denied by Essex Police sources.

In a statement, the force said: “We have a proportionate and robust policing operation to ensure the safety and security of all participants in the count.”

Addressing supporters at a rally in the early hours of Friday morning, Farage suggested that the real reason for his non-attendance was he wanted to avoid the other candidates.

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.”

Farage won with 63% of the vote and a majority of 12,784 over self-styled intergalactic space warrior Count Binface, who came second with nearly 9,500 votes.

Labour, the Tories, Lib Dems, Greens and Restore Britain refused to put up candidates in the by-election, which Farage triggered by quitting as Clacton’s MP last month.

That came after parliament’s standards commissioner launched an investigation into his failure to declare a £5 million gift from a Thailand-based crypto billionaire.

Tim Montgomerie, who defected from the Conservatives to Reform with great fanfare last year, openly criticised Farage’s decision to dodge the count on X.

He said it had been “a very good result” for Farage, but added: “He should be on every TV screen this morning – underlining his win – and with that cheeky, trademark smile on his face. Being the Nigel that so many voters like the idea of hanging out with… in a pub.

“But this recently far too dominant aggrieved tone is still with us. It’s not good. You don’t skip your own victory count without a much better explanation.

“Anger from politicians can work but only if it’s on behalf of others – not yourself. He’s distracting from his victory. Puzzling.”

A Reform source told HuffPost UK it was “not a good look for Nigel to skip the count”.

But Reform deputy leader Richard Tice told GB News: “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.”

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