Nigel Farage latest: By-election turns to farce with Count Binface declared as Reform leader’s main rival

Satirical candidate Count Binface appears to be Nigel Farage’s main electoral rival in the Clacton by-election as Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Restore Britain will not stand candidates.

Political opponents accused the Reform UK leader of using a distraction technique as he faces questions over donations.

The by-election “shouldn’t be happening”, home secretary Yvette Cooper said, as she described it as Mr Farage’s “political tantrum”.

Insisting he had done nothing wrong, the Reform UK leader resigned on Tuesday and said he would be fighting the by-election to give voters a chance to “stick two fingers up to the establishment”.

A spokesperson for would-be PM Andy Burnham called the election “a gimmick designed to distract from serious allegations about Farage’s funders.”

It has been reported that convicted criminal George Cottrell provided Mr Farage with funding for security and staffing before he was elected.

Mr Farage was already being investigated by the standards commissioner over a £5m gift he received from crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne.

Subscribe here to get the latest updates from The Independent