Farage faces renewed watchdog probe after Clacton by-election victory
The investigation into a £5m gift received by Farage reopens, as he returns as the MP for Clacton.
Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, faces renewed investigation by the parliamentary watchdog following his victory in the Clacton by-election. The watchdog, which had previously paused its investigation into Farage's alleged failure to declare a £5m gift from billionaire donor Christopher Harborne, has now reopened the probe.
Farage won the by-election with 63% of the vote, backed by 22,239 votes, a significant increase from his 2024 general election victory where he received 22,024 votes. The turnout was about 14% lower than in the 2024 general election for the constituency, but average for recent Westminster by-elections. The investigation could result in Farage being suspended from the House of Commons and potentially triggering another by-election in Clacton.
Opposition parties have called for a new investigation into Farage's financial support from George Cottrell ahead of the 2024 general election. Farage referred to the by-election as a "people versus the establishment" showdown, but the main Westminster parties did not field candidates, branding it a "gimmick" and a "circus".
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