Right-wing political leader Nigel Farage has won the Clacton by-election after telling supporters he would skip the UK tradition of joining all the candidates on stage when the final result was announced.In July, the 62-year-old former banker announced he would stand down as an MP and recontest his parliamentary seat while under investigation for a £5 million gift he did not declare in the months before he was elected to the Commons in 2024.Mr Farage secured 22,239 votes in the by-election, higher than the 21,225 votes he received in the 2024 general election, but he did not wait for the result before declaring victory.In a speech to a room full of Reform UK supporters, which was delivered several hours before the count concluded, Mr Farage declared there would be "no question" about the outcome."The verdict has now come in … you haven't heard it yet," he told a cheering and laughing crowd."It is a convincing, overwhelming win," he added, before the crowd broke out in chants of "Nigel! Nigel! Nigel!"An "I'm with Nigel Farage" sign is displayed in Clacton. (ABC News: Daniel Pannett)The Reform UK leader also said he would not attend the official count to avoid being "demeaned and humiliated by nobodies"."I've been advised tonight by Essex Police that there is an organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result that will take place in a few hours," he added, without providing evidence.The ABC understands that Essex police did not advise any candidate to stay away."We have a proportionate and robust policing operation to ensure the safety and security of all participants in the count," a spokesperson said in a statement.Shortly after Mr Farage's speech, acting returning officer for the by-election and chief executive of Tendring District Council, Ian Davidson, also denied there was an issue with the count."I will not comment on security matters," he said during a live stream of the proceedings."But I am going to say to you that we've been working closely with Essex Police; we've just had a further meeting. There is no issue in terms of us completing the count tonight."The official turnout for Thursday's by-election was 44.37 per cent, which is higher than some by-elections, but lower than in Andy Burnham's Makerfield, where the turnout was about 58 per cent.In his re-election campaign, Mr Farage had framed the poll as a "people versus the establishment" contest, but many of the UK's major parties opted not to field candidates after deriding it as a stunt.He instead competed against an odd assortment of 33 other candidates, including 20 independents and several candidates from the Monster Raving Loony Party, setting a UK record.A man who chose to wear a bin on his face became his main, and most notable, rival.Farage vs BinfaceThe political satirist dubbed Count Binface, who has run in other high-profile elections before, including against then-prime ministers Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, received 9455 votes.Before the result, Mr Farage claimed Count Binface was the "candidate for the establishment"."You literally couldn't make it up," he said.A man voting for Count Binface proudly displays a shirt emblazoned with his image. (ABC News: Daniel Pannett)Count Binface, who had previously received just 95 votes in the by-election with then-Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham in Makerfield, responded to the taunt in comments made to local media."One of the candidates was a sitting MP, formerly an MEP, architect of Brexit, one of the most significant British politicians of the past 20 years … if that's not the establishment I'd like to know what is because I'm a lone wolf space warrior," Mr Binface said.In what was regarded as a by-election steeped in bizarre novelty, Clacton residents had to use a one-metre-long ballot paper to cast their votes."It's a joke, an absolute joke. I think the whole thing is a farce," one voter told the ABC.But with the sun out and summer almost over, many locals claimed they would rather be elsewhere."[I'd rather be] hanging out at the beach," another voter told the ABC.It was a beautiful day for voters to head to the polls in Clacton. (ABC News: Daniel Pannett)Farage wins despite financial cloudMr Farage rose to prominence as the main campaigner for Britain to leave the European Union and has held several roles in UK politics.He was, for more than two decades, a member of the European Parliament and stood unsuccessfully for a seat in the UK's lower house of parliament seven times before he was eventually elected in 2024.Mr Farage has been riding a wave of support for his party in Britain this year but faced scrutiny in April after the Guardian revealed that he had failed to declare a £5 million payment from British-Thai political donor Christopher Harborne.A seagull flies above the sign for Clacton Pier. (ABC News: Daniel Pannett)Then, in July, the Sunday Times reported that the Reform UK leader had not declared benefits he had received from the British financier and convicted fraudster George Cottrell.These included several social media and security staff in the lead-up to his 2024 election win, as well as the use of a property in central London.In the UK, new MPs have to declare financial interests and "registrable benefits" received in the 12 months before they are elected, although personal gifts do not need to be disclosed.Mr Farage insisted he did not need to declare the money because it was a personal gift he used to fund his security and it was given before he was elected.But he was being investigated by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner before the probe was suspended when he called the by-election.When he was asked about the parliamentary inquiry ahead of today's result, Mr Farage told GB News: "Who cares?"The investigation into Mr Farage’s finances will now automatically resume. Parliament will return after the summer break on September 1.