Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has resigned as a member of parliament for Clacton and announced that he will seek re-election in a by-election, saying voters in his constituency should decide whether he should remain in office as scrutiny intensifies over his financial affairs.
Farage said he had been considering stepping down over the weekend as pressure increased over allegations that he failed to properly declare a multi-million-pound gift. He insisted he had done nothing wrong and said the by-election would allow the public to judge his actions.
“I've decided that the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions,” Farage said, describing the contest as a “people versus the establishment” vote and adding that it was “a chance to stick two fingers up to the entire establishment.”
The controversy centers on a £5 million ($6.6 million) gift Farage received from British-Thai cryptocurrency investor Christopher Harborne in 2024. The donation is being examined by parliament’s standards watchdog, with Farage maintaining that the money was a personal gift and that he had no requirement to declare it.
The issue has triggered wider scrutiny of Farage’s finances, including other donations and possible breaches of parliamentary rules. The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards is also reviewing allegations linked to additional financial support.
