Nigel Farage has resigned as MP for Clacton in response to claims he broke Commons rules by accepting undeclared funding from George Cottrell, as a parliamentary standards investigation continues into a separate undeclared gift of £5m.
The Reform UK leader made the announcement via social media in response to continued scrutiny from Sky News and the Sunday Times, stating he will stand in a by-election to ensure “the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions.”
“I have decided today, today I will resign as a Member of Parliament for Clacton-on-Sea, thereby forcing a by-election which should happen, I hope, in short order,” said Farage. “Now I have decided the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions.”
“I will be putting my name forward to stand in this by-election. I will fight to win.”
Callers to BBC Essex expressed mixed views on the announcement, with Jaywick resident Mark saying “all we hear all the time is promises, promises, promises. They get elected, they get placed in Parliament… And nothing ever happens. We watched this space, we live in this space and he hasn’t done nothing.”
Clacton-on-Sea resident Ted added “I quite like the bloke, but if he’s going to do what he’s done now [again], you think what’s the point of voting him in again?”
Clacton: A centre-piece attraction
Nigel Farage is by far and away the strongest Marmite brand in the political cupboard, but he can pull in a crowd.
Facing a by-election against Count Bin Face will certainly draw in the political punters and the media, but, whether it’s Farage’s fault or his mainstream party opponents, this election is not going to bring to the fore the key issues the amusements businesses in Clacton are facing.
This would have been the perfect opportunity to voice our objections to government policy on ideology, rather than evidence; strangling regulation; the tax threats; the GC fees etc.
Clacton is the perfect example of the industry working tirelessly and delivering for the community. A by-election would have been a perfect opportunity to tell that story and the story of decline and anti-business governance.
The town, and the industry, has lost that chance – and every political party deserves a tonking for taking that chance to voice our concerns away.
