Nigel Farage has never been short of drama and today he was back where he enjoys being most – centre of the political stage.In an extraordinary development, the Reform UK leader is putting all he has fought to achieve on the line by stepping down as an MP and calling a by-election in his Clacton constituency.For the great political gambler it does seem to be a final roll of the dice, relying on his party still being high in the polls and his personal vote as a famous politician to win back the seat he – until a short time ago – held. He may be thinking “if it worked for Andy Burnham in Makerfield , it can work for me!”In his lengthy 20 minute speech – mostly a rant claiming the media and “establishment” are out to get him – Mr Farage admitted, as revealed by The Independent on Sunday, that he had discussed and considered walking away altogether.He has been exhausted after carrying Reform for almost two years and the recent scrutiny has seen him suddenly perform a disappearing act with his weekly press conferences virtually disappearing.A tired Nigel Farage has said ‘enough is enough’ and called a by-election (PA)Interestingly, he chose to make his announcement via social media with no opportunity of questions from journalists. His plans going forward are to do much more of this style of messaging, something that Sir Keir Starmer looked at doing more of as well when he too was under siege.But Mr Farage is a man who wants to have his place in history and clearly does not want a long and successful political career to end with a whimper. Better, in his view, to go down fighting.Nevertheless, it is clear that he is struggling to cope with the level of scrutiny he is under as a man who wants to be and could still be prime minister.He is, by his own admission, an angry man over the inevitable media coverage of his undeclared multi-million donations from Thai crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne and his questionable friendship to a convicted criminal, George Cottrell, in his inner circle.Much of this was dressed up with fury at Sky News and the Sunday Times for publishing a picture and, in the case of the broadcaster, allegedly approaching a property where his daughter lives.But in reality this is a man whose party is slipping in the polls, who is staring at the prospect of Labour under Andy Burnham surpassing them in popularity, and cannot win a parliamentary by-election because of tactical voting.His rivals are circling, including former allies such as ex-Reform deputy leader Ben Habib and former Reform MP Rupert Lowe, both hell bent on revenge after falling out with Mr Farage, while Labour and the Tories smell blood.His self justification on the undeclared donations will jar with many, although his complaints about the physical abuse he receives are not exaggerated and should be taken seriously.However, perhaps the real reason for all this drama is that Mr Farage must know that his chances of entering Downing Street are close to being extinguished and this is his last chance to move the dial.The question will be whether he can hold on to a seat which he won 46.2 per cent of the vote in the general election.If the other parties are smart they will give the Tories, who came second and previously held the seat, to have a free run at defeating him. The stakes could not be higher.