Nigel Farage has resigned as an MP (Image: Getty)
Nigel Farage sensationally declared a “people versus the establishment” by-election to clear his name once and for all amid intensifying scrutiny of his finances.
In an extraordinary public address, the Reform UK leader said he was being “subject to constant demonisation” and insisted he had done “nothing wrong”, accusing his Westminster opponents of weaponising sleaze investigations as a “political tool” and the media of “haranguing” his family.
The former Clacton MP said he had “never been angrier in my life” over the treatment of his family, claiming he was “the most physically and verbally attacked public figure or politician of modern times.
He accused a newspaper of publishing a photo of the house where his daughter lives as part of an investigation into Mr Farage’s property portfolio, despite her never having engaged in politics.
The veteran politician, who said in a previous statement that his daughter had been “hounded”, said: “There is no public interest in my daughter whatsoever.”
In a video message, he added: “The issue with my daughter was the final straw. Enough is enough.”
Mr Farage is being investigated by the Commons standards watchdog over an undeclared £5 million gift from Reform donor Christopher Harborne before he entered Parliament.
In a video statement, Mr Farage said: “I have done nothing wrong. I have not broken the law in any way at all.”
He said standards investigations by the parliamentary authorities are “now being used as a political tool”.
Mr Farage added: “On the gift [from Mr Harborne], it was given to me on an unconditional basis. I can do with that money exactly as I wish, but there is a much bigger reason why I’m going to need that money, and it’s simply this.
“For over 20 years now, I have been subject to constant demonisation by the press for daring to be outside the consensual view on many issues.
“I’ve been attacked again and again. I am the most physically and verbally attacked public figure or politician of modern times.
“Yes, you will know of some of the incidents, milkshakes thrown in my face, placards bashed over my head, but let me promise you, you only know about a fraction of the number of times that I’ve been assaulted.”
He recalled a disturbing incident in which a mob of “about 50” chased him out of a pub and followed him to his car, banging on the windows. He said the vehicle was so badly damaged it had to be written off, describing the ordeal as a terrifying experience.
Mr Farage said incidents have become worse over the last year.
He also appeared to confirm he faced another probe over support provided by convicted fraudster George Cottrell.
Long-term ally Mr Cottrell reportedly recruited and paid three staff to work on Mr Farage’s social media before the general election, and has continued to allow him to use a five-storey Georgian property he rented near Buckingham Palace.
Under the Commons’ rules, new MPs are required to register any gifts worth more than £300 they received in the previous 12 months, except where the gift “could not be reasonably thought by others” to relate to their political activities.
His resignation will mean Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Daniel Greenberg’s investigation is suspended but it will be resumed if Mr Farage wins the by-election and returns to Parliament.
If he is found to have breached the rules and suspended for more than 10 sitting days it could trigger a recall petition, potentially leading to another Clacton by-election.
He said he would not be “judged” by the media, adding: “I’ve decided that the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions.
“This will be a ‘people versus the establishment’ by-election.
“It’s a chance to stick two fingers up to the entire establishment to frankly tell them where to go, and that is why I will be putting my name forward to stand in this by-election.”
The Brexit architect said Reform has offered to cover the cost of the ballot, which could exceed £200,000, “given that we asked for this by-election in the first place, it’s only right that we pay for it”.
In an extraordinary counter protest, major political parties have vowed not to stand candidates.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Mr Farage was having a “hissy fit” and “cracking under the pressure”.
She said the Conservatives will not stand a candidate in the Clacton by-election: “We’re not standing in a fake by-election.”
She said the Clacton MP, who won the seat in 2024 with a majority of 8,405, should “man up and answer some questions” instead of triggering an “ego by-election”.
Labour is not fielding a candidate in the by-election.
A Labour Party spokesman said: “Nigel Farage is engulfed in a sleaze scandal and he’s desperately trying to change the subject. It’s pathetic, and the Labour Party is not going to indulge it. 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.”
Meanwhile a Green Party spokesman suggested they would put a candidate forward.
He said: “This is a decision for Clacton Green Party but we are a political party – we contest elections.”
Restore Britain’s leader Rupert Lowe also said his party will not put someone forward in the by-election.
The ex-Reform MP, a rival of Mr Farage’s, said: “Restore Britain will stand in the Clacton by-election – the second one – held later this year, when the investigations into Farage’s finances conclude as we all suspect they will.
“We are not going to participate in a Reform-sponsored media circus over the summer months that is designed to puff up Farage’s ego and deflect away from wholly fair questions over why he has concealed such vast and irregular financial donations.
“Farage can play with his toys for the next six weeks but Restore Britain is going to continue producing detailed policy papers, exactly as we have been, outlining how we can fix our country.
“That is what I am interested in. Detail. Data. Policy. A plan. I feel for the people of Clacton who deserve so much better than this unnecessary sham forced on them throughout their summer.”
Reform MP Robert Jenrick admitted it would be “utterly absurd” if there is a second by-election in the constituency.
But he added: “So be it. If this has to go back to the people of Clacton another time, then bring it on. But that would clearly be utterly ridiculous.
“Nigel has got the courage to put himself forward in this election to make his argument to his constituents in Clacton and ultimately to the country that it’s not for bureaucrats and the tired old leaders of the Labour Party and the Tory Party and their acolytes in the media to determine who leads this country, it is for the people of this country.
“So that is what Nigel is doing in this by-election.”
Outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer branded the resignation as a “desperate stunt”.
Speaking from the NATO summit in Turkey, Sir Keir said: “It’s obvious why he is doing it. He is up to his neck in sleaze.
“Politics should be about improving the lives of millions of people, not about personal gain, not about hiding dodgy donations, and I think the public will see this for exactly what it is.”
A spokeswoman for Mr Burnham slammed Mr Farage’s move as a “a gimmick designed to distract from serious allegations” about his funders.
Liberal Democrat Leader Sir 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.
“But the Government should just say no to Farage’s ego-trip and block his resignation until the Standards Commissioner has finished investigating him.
“The people of Clacton should have all the facts before they cast their votes.”
Meanwhile some Labour MPs could try to block an imminent Clacton by-election until after the probe into Mr Farage is finished.
They held talks on Tuesday on amending the motion which formally sets the date for the byelection – known as “moving the writ”.
The statement came after Mr Farage clashed with a Sky TV crew following his return to Britain from the United States on Monday night.
Mr Farage erupted with fury when asked whether it had been a mistake not to declare the gifts, saying: “You tell your bosses, you harass my family any more… serious consequences. That’s what your organisation has done this morning. Go away.”
Sky News said it had made “reasonable efforts” to contact Mr Farage with “legitimate questions to answer”.
The broadcaster added: “We acknowledge that Sky News was part of a broadcast pool operation outside a property linked to Mr Farage yesterday.
“We approached the property off-camera on a single occasion, identified ourselves, and the occupant chose not to engage.”
But Mr Farage won the backing of long-term ally Donald Trump.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Monday, Trump shared a link to an article on The National Pulse website titled “They’re Running the 2024 Anti-Trump Playbook on Nigel Farage”.
The article accuses the media of giving more coverage to “every gaffe, controversy, or disagreement” by Reform and its leader, while “policy successes or growing voter support are frequently downplayed”.
Mr Trump is also said to have personally called Mr Farage to congratulate him on his political success in achieving the removal of Sir Keir Starmer from No10 Downing Street.