Nigel Farage takes Clacton by-election gamble

Nigel Farage is trying to keep his place in parliament in a Clacton by-election on Thursday, August 13, 2026, after resigning from the eastern England seat to force a vote he has cast as a fight against the establishment.

Farage, 62, leads Reform UK and became a Westminster lawmaker in 2024 on his eighth attempt. He is widely known for his role in the campaign for Britain to leave the European Union in 2016.

Political scientist John Curtice told AFP that Farage is “the most influential politician in 21st-century British politics” because, without him, Britain would probably still be in the European Union. Curtice also cited Farage’s longevity.

Farage left the Conservative Party in 1993 over European integration, co-founded the UK Independence Party and was elected to the European Parliament in 1999. He later led UKIP and helped push pressure for the 2016 EU referendum.

His politics have centred heavily on immigration, including small-boat crossings of the Channel. Opponents portray him as divisive and accuse him of appealing to racists and far-right voters. Supporters praise what they see as a direct style.

The Guardian last year detailed allegations from former classmates who accused Farage of racist and antisemitic behaviour as a teenager. Farage rejected the claims, calling them “made-up fantasies” and “playground banter”.

Farage later launched the Brexit Party in 2019 and rebranded it as Reform. The party has risen in national politics, but scrutiny of Farage’s finances and donations to Reform has prompted police and parliamentary investigations and coincided with a drop in support.

Farage remains strongly tipped to retain the right-leaning seaside constituency, but mainstream parties are boycotting Thursday’s poll, leaving him against dozens of fringe opponents.