Clacton by-election result in full: Nigel Farage wins, Count Binface sees record support and one candidate gets seven votes
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Nigel Farage won the Clacton by-election for Reform UK with 63 per cent of the vote, returning to Parliament after triggering the contest. The result strengthens his vote share but leaves scrutiny focused on an ongoing parliamentary standards investigation into allegations about his financial affairs; Farage missed the count, citing a threat that Essex Police said it had not confirmed.
Political satirist Count Binface came second with just under 27 per cent, his strongest parliamentary result and enough to recover his £500 deposit. A record 34 candidates stood, while turnout was 35,111—about 10,000 lower than in 2024 and Clacton’s lowest since its creation in 2010; the remaining 32 candidates lost deposits totalling £16,000.
- Farage retained Clacton for Reform UK with 63 per cent.
- Count Binface secured a record second-place result.
- Low turnout and financial scrutiny shadowed the contest.
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A by-election is a vote to fill a single seat in the House of Commons between general elections, usually after the previous MP resigns or dies. Clacton is a coastal constituency in Essex that has often attracted attention because of strong support for parties campaigning for tighter immigration controls and Britain’s departure from the European Union.
Nigel Farage is the leader of Reform UK, a right-wing political party that has grown from the Brexit movement. He has previously been an MP and a prominent campaigner for Brexit, while Count Binface is a comic character who stands in elections as a political satirist.
Candidates in UK parliamentary elections normally pay a £500 deposit, which they get back if they win at least 5 per cent of the vote. Parliamentary standards investigations examine whether MPs have followed rules on matters such as financial interests and conduct.
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