Farage has resigned as an MP for Clacton?

25Avalon

Let the people of Clacton decide. For all we know he may be a very good constituency MP.

That’s not what this is about though. If he has broken parliamentary rules then he has to be punished in the same way any other MP would be, regardless of other considerations.

GrannyGravy13

Apparently Reform UK have offered to cover the full cost of the by-election 🤷‍♀️

That would be a good idea, the other parties could call Farage’s bluff and not stand at all, he would be re-elected, the investigation would recommence, and if he is found guilty another by election, aka the real contest, could take place.

15:53*Luckygirl*3

Burnham the so called 'King of the North' got another Labour MP to resign in Makerfield and forced PM Keir Starmer to resign because he wanted his job.

25Avalon

Let the people of Clacton decide. For all we know he may be a very good constituency MP.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 How he can possibly be a good constituency MP is utterly beyond me, he has missed 77 consecutive parliamentary votes, he does not appear in the HoC unless it’s for PM Question Time, he doesn’t hold surgeries, he doesn’t meet with his constancies on a 1-2-1 and (I may be wrong) he doesn’t maintain a parliamentary office within his constituency and, it seems, in the last two years he’s spent more time out of the country, than within. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

Mr Google tells me this:-

“Nigel Farage’s achievements in Tendring over the last 24 months are primarily political, most notably securing a comprehensive sweep of local government seats for Reform UK—including taking overall control of Essex County Council in the 2026 local elections. However, his tangible legislative accomplishments as an MP have been limited, and his tenure has recently ended in a resignation.The primary highlights of his record in the constituency include:Local Government Takeovers: Reform UK achieved dominance in the region, winning all targeted council seats for Clacton and securing majority control of Essex County Council.Parliamentary Activity: While his party achieved significant local electoral growth, his personal parliamentary record has been criticized as relatively inactive; his public speeches and attendance records in the House of Commons were notably lower than other party leaders.Recent Resignation: Farage resigned as the MP for Clacton, triggering an unexpected summer by-election in the constituency. He claimed the vote would be a "people versus the establishment" showdown and stated that Reform UK would foot the bill for the by-election.”

Tendring, for those who don’t know this part of Essex is actually the constituency, it includes Clacton, Frinton and Jaywick and some smaller villages.

I have spoken to the CEO of Tendring District Council. Reform has offered to cover the cost of the by-election.

I will be writing to Rachel Reeves later today with the same message.

Given that we asked for this by-election in the first place, it’s only right that we pay for it. Nigel Farage

Unlike Burnham and Labour making the people/tax payers pay for his ambition to become PM and also triggering a Mayoral election costing thousands of pounds.

When he says he’s been the most targeted politician in this country for many years all I can think about is Jo Cox ( I still hold Farage responsible for her death and will never forgive him for it, or forget). Is there any way of finding out the truth about his comment re being attacked by a mob but not reporting it to the police?

Farage is forcing this by-election. Please don’t couch this as Reform doing the people a favour.

Instead of throwing a tantrum, Farage could continue in his role as Clacton’s MP. It was a job he was elected to do for five years at a public cost of some £500,000 plus, but for the last two years has largely failed to do.

He could actually do some work in his constituency each week and over the summer, when Parliament it is recess, and let the investigations into his dubious finances take their course.

Instead, we are going to be subjected to this circus.

That said, I’m enjoying some of the commentary on other platforms e.g. that other parties see this for the stunt that it is, don’t bother to contest and let Reform spend thousands for Farage to slog it out with Count Binface.

Which receptacle that is full of rubbish would you vote for?

Sunshinegirls

I have spoken to the CEO of Tendring District Council. Reform has offered to cover the cost of the by-election.

I will be writing to Rachel Reeves later today with the same message.

Given that we asked for this by-election in the first place, it’s only right that we pay for it. Nigel Farage

Unlike Burnham and Labour making the people/tax payers pay for his ambition to become PM and also triggering a Mayoral election costing thousands of pounds.

Oh please! Don't you recognise circus showmanship here? A bit of 😇😇😇

The man has £5.000.000 for "security"

Not to mention Cottrell

www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jul/06/reform-uk-nigel-farage-george-cottrell

plus goodness knows which large country behind the scenes 🤷‍♂️

Sunshinegirls

I have spoken to the CEO of Tendring District Council. Reform has offered to cover the cost of the by-election.

I will be writing to Rachel Reeves later today with the same message.

Given that we asked for this by-election in the first place, it’s only right that we pay for it. Nigel Farage

Unlike Burnham and Labour making the people/tax payers pay for his ambition to become PM and also triggering a Mayoral election costing thousands of pounds.

And your point is? ….

I can't decide if this is a foolish or a genius political move on Farages part. I am putting aside the morality of it for a moment!

Sunshinegirls - you won't win on this forum.

Apparently it's ok for Andy Burnham to use a bi-election in this way, but not for anyone else

MayBee70

When he says he’s been the most targeted politician in this country for many years all I can think about is Jo Cox ( I still hold Farage responsible for her death and will never forgive him for it, or forget). Is there any way of finding out the truth about his comment re being attacked by a mob but not reporting it to the police?

No! He’s a grifter and I believe him to be a liar and he covers his tracks very carefully.

The piece of his speech today I “enjoyed” the most was the reason he became an MEP, “to rescue” the YK! How long did he stay an MEP, in that nasty corrupt EU?

20 years!!!! He accepted his inflated salary, did what he now does as an MP, made few appearances and had one of the worst voting records of all MEPs, and now he accepts his vast MEP pension. Apparently he bankrupted himself by becoming an MEP? Really ? 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

Mr Google told him this:-

“When Nigel Farage started as an MEP in 1999, his salary was roughly €3,500 a month (around £2,400), as all MEPs were paid the equivalent of national MPs. When he left the European Parliament in January 2020, his standard gross base salary was €8,933 per month (over €107,000 per year).However, because of a European Parliament investigation into the misuse of public funds, his actual take-home pay was docked by 50% between 2018 and his departure, meaning his final gross salary was effectively reduced to about €4,466 per month during that timeframe.Here is the breakdown of the changes during his two decades in office:When he started (1999): MEPs' salaries were directly tied to the salary of members of their own national parliaments. At the time, UK MPs made roughly £47,000 annually. Farage's salary was set in Euros, equating to around €3,500 per month.The "Single Statute" (July 2009): The system changed so that all MEPs received a standardized EU salary, set at 38.5% of the basic salary of a judge at the European Court of Justice. This immediately raised his base pay to approximately €7,600 per month.When he left (January 2020): Standardized incremental rises had brought the annual base pre-tax salary to €107,208 a year (roughly €8,933 per month / £7,600), though his was subject to the temporary 50% deduction.”

Mr Google also tells me his pension is Nigel Farage's European Parliament pension is estimated to be worth around $97,000 (\(\pounds73,000\)) per year.

Mr Google also tells me that Nigel Farage spent about 30 years in the City of London's commodity market. He began his career in 1982 at the London Metal Exchange, worked for various brokers including Drexel Burnham Lambert and Credit Lyonnais Rouse, and founded his own firm, Farage Futures, in 1994. He transitioned fully into politics and media in the early 2010s.

sundowngirl

Sunshinegirls - you won't win on this forum.

Apparently it's ok for Andy Burnham to use a bi-election in this way, but not for anyone else

I don’t think ANYONE here has admired the way AB gained his recent seat.

However, it’s an entirely different situation and if you’re honest you’ll know this!

Casdon

GrannyGravy13

Apparently Reform UK have offered to cover the full cost of the by-election 🤷‍♀️

That would be a good idea, the other parties could call Farage’s bluff and not stand at all, he would be re-elected, the investigation would recommence, and if he is found guilty another by election, aka the real contest, could take place.

Indeed- Farage is resigning as MP then in the same breath putting himself forward for re election as an MP by triggering a by election.

He may or may not get elected as Clacton MP. It is one constituency of very many in the country. Frage may get fewer votes than before, which with his falling poll ratings does not deliver much benefit or profile for him. Neither of itself will the by election make scrutiny of Farage's gifts/benefits from Harborne and Cottrell disappear. The scrutiny and censure will continue and rightly so- which Farage just does not get or understand.

Clacton do not determine the MP Parliamentary Standards of Behaviour for MPs - those are fixed and published. Calcton voters are not the judge and arbiters of his behaviour and actions as Farage claims. Neither is the press.

The Rules are the rules and the Standards Committee is the investigator and judge. Clacton voters only have the power to vote for status quo with Farage as MP or change the status quo. Nothing more, nothing less.

Seriously ... no MP should be allowed to force a by-election by resigning and then stand themselves. There should be a rule about this. It is simply using the system to make a point, in the process of which the tax payer has to fork out the vast expense involved.

Perish the thought.
Imagine if someone who was in trouble say, for setting up an investigation into journalists who criticised him, nobly resigned his seat to allow another ex MP to stand and win, with the promise of a prominent role in the next government when he became PM.
Just imagine.

Galaxy

I can't decide if this is a foolish or a genius political move on Farages part. I am putting aside the morality of it for a moment!

I think genius.

But there may be several ways it could backfire on him.

Cossy

sundowngirl

Sunshinegirls - you won't win on this forum.

Apparently it's ok for Andy Burnham to use a bi-election in this way, but not for anyone else

I don’t think ANYONE here has admired the way AB gained his recent seat.

However, it’s an entirely different situation and if you’re honest you’ll know this!

If its ok/within the rules for Farage to trigger a by election it was also ok/within the rules for the incumbent Makerfield MP to trigger a by election which he did. But a completely different set of circumstances though - as stating the b**** obvious, Farage is already the incumbent Clacton MP !

sundowngirl- albeit its within the rules to trigger a by election, what do you think is the reason Farage is seeking to be MP of Clacton when he already is the MP of Clacton?! In your view is his motivation reasonable or not?

AB won that vote fair and square and emphatically in Makerfield. He was not an MP before and now he is- a quite different set of circumstances.

eazybee

^Seriously ... no MP should be allowed to force a by-election by resigning and then stand themselves. There should be a rule about this. It is simply using the system to make a point, in the process of which the tax payer has to fork out the vast expense involved.^

Perish the thought.
Imagine if someone who was in trouble say, for setting up an investigation into journalists who criticised him, nobly resigned his seat to allow another ex MP to stand and win, with the promise of a prominent role in the next government when he became PM.
Just imagine.

Well the fact of the matter is Farage has triggered a by election as the incumbent MP of Clacton to be elected as MP of Clacton when already the MP! Its enough o give any one a headache getting their head round that 😂.

Whilst Farage knows his back is against the wall and he is being investigated for a £5 million undeclared gift and then recent revelations of financial benefits from the convicted criminal Cottrell he chooses to do this.

What do you make of Frage's decision eazybee?

eazybee

^Seriously ... no MP should be allowed to force a by-election by resigning and then stand themselves. There should be a rule about this. It is simply using the system to make a point, in the process of which the tax payer has to fork out the vast expense involved.^

Perish the thought.
Imagine if someone who was in trouble say, for setting up an investigation into journalists who criticised him, nobly resigned his seat to allow another ex MP to stand and win, with the promise of a prominent role in the next government when he became PM.
Just imagine.

Having been vociferous about the Burnham Makerfield situation, I presume your condemnation of Farage’s behaviour in forcing a by election is equally strong eazybee?

fancythat- Farage has always been a chancer, willing to take risks and yes it could backfire- but he will enjoy all the attention and drama along the way no doubt. And whatever the outcome put his spin on the result to present himself a victim when he is the instigator.

It's just the way Farage's mind works.....my view is he is no genius. He tried and failed 7 or 8 times before he finally got voted in as an MP. A genius would not need so many chances and opportunities.

It's more the attention and drama he likes and he can still continue to live with whatever the adverse consequences and spin it how he chooses (and most importantly to him get bank rolled by the chosen 'corrupt' few)

16:50sundowngirl

Haha but you can't blame a girl for trying😀

sundowngirl

Sunshinegirls - you won't win on this forum.

Apparently it's ok for Andy Burnham to use a bi-election in this way, but not for anyone else

Yes, I really wouldnt bother, I dont any more and I have noticed a lot of more moderate posters dont post any more either, leave the indignant lefties to it!

If you don't agree with the Makerfield by - election then why are you agreeing with this one? Two wrongs don’t make a right so stop the whataboutery.