Nigel Farage wins Clacton by-election but is a no show at election count

Nigel Farage has won the Clacton by-election but refused to attend the election count over an alleged “credible threat to his security”.

The Reform leader won the by-election he triggered by resigning last month, with 22,239 votes (63% of the vote).

Count Binface came in second place with 27% of the vote, on 9,455 votes. This was around 1,000 more votes than he won in 2024.

Initially, Farage said his reason for not attending the count was because Police had told him not to after alerting him to an “organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result”.

An Essex police spokesperson contested Farage’s account, stating: “We have a proportionate and robust policing operation to ensure the safety and security of all participants in the count.”

It is understood that Essex Police did not tell Mr Farage, or any other candidate, not to attend the count.

Reform deputy leader Richard Tice has since said that Farage’s security team rather than the police were concerned about this “credible threat”.

Tice said that Reform will not provide proof of the threat to Farage’s security. 

Farage has been criticised for failing to show up at the count, with critics accusing him of using security concerns as a reason to avoid scrutiny and stand alongside the 33 other candidates in the by-election “stunt” that he created. 

Lib Dem MP Liz Jarvis reacted to the situation on Bluesky, writing: “Incredibly disrespectful of Farage not to turn up to the count.

“All the people who worked through the night because of the by election HE instigated and his constituents deserve better.”

Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward