Here's How Nigel Farage's Decision To Trigger A By-Election Could Backfire Spectacularly

Nigel Farage will win the by-election he has triggered in the Clacton seat he was elected to in 2024.

There is no doubt that he will be returned again as the constituency’s MP when the contest takes place at some point next month.

That should, on the face of it, be good news for the Reform UK leader, who has billed it as a “people versus the establishment” contest.

However, it could prove to be something of a pyrrhic victory for Farage.

That is because it seems increasingly likely that he will win by beating comedy candidate Count Binface and no one else.

Prime minister Keir Starmer dismissed Farage’s decision to quit as an MP as “a desperate stunt”, while Tory boss Kemi Badenoch accused him of throwing “a hissy fit”.

Those comments do not suggest that Labour or the Tories plan to stand candidates. If that is what Farage wants, why dance to his tune?

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey was more explicit, saying: “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.”

Although the Greens have said they will take part, a senior party source admitted to HuffPost UK that there is “momentum building” behind calls for them not to run either.

Rupert Lowe, leader of the right-wing Restore Britain and a sworn enemy of Farage, also confirmed that they will sit this one out.

Count Binface, however, appears determined to take part.

Posting on X, he dubbed the contest “Binface vs Binfire”, and added: “Labour, Tories, Lib Dems and Greens: I demand you stand down in Clacton.

“I will be a unity candidate and pledge to build at least one affordable house. Nigel Farage says he wants The People versus the Establishment. So be it. Leave him to me.”

This all throws up the tantalising image of Farage on the night of the by-election count, standing alongside a man dressed as a bin and no one else as it is confirmed that he has been re-elected as the MP for Clacton.

This would be a huge blow to the Reform leader’s enormous ego, and would surely call into question his decision to trigger the by-election in the first place.

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