CLACTON-ON-SEA, England — Nigel Farage regained his seat in Britain's parliament on Friday, winning a Clacton by-election with 63% of the vote after resigning the seat last month to trigger the contest.
The Reform UK leader secured 22,239 votes, while satirical candidate Count Binface, the persona of comedian Jonathan Harvey, finished second with 9,455, or about 27%, according to the reported result. Turnout was 44.4%, with 34 candidates on the ballot, an unusually crowded field that included numerous independent and novelty contenders.
The result returns Farage to the House of Commons only weeks after he stepped down as the member for Clacton. He had said the by-election was intended to reaffirm his mandate after questions arose over a £5 million gift from cryptocurrency investor Christopher Harborne, which Farage has said did not need to be declared. The matter is subject to parliamentary scrutiny.
The main British political parties did not field candidates, leaving Farage facing a largely fringe field. Count Binface's result was nevertheless the strongest showing by the satirical character, who campaigned in a silver costume with a dustbin-style helmet and used humorous policies to attract voters.
Farage did not attend the declaration of the result, saying he had received a security threat. Police disputed suggestions that they had advised candidates not to attend the count.
The by-election was triggered after Farage resigned in July. His decision followed continuing scrutiny of the £5 million payment from Harborne, a major Reform UK supporter. Parliament's standards process is expected to continue following Farage's return to the Commons, according to reports. Farage denies wrongdoing.
The result gives Reform UK its leader back in Parliament and preserves Farage's position as one of Britain's most prominent political figures. It also leaves the financial questions surrounding his parliamentary conduct unresolved as the relevant scrutiny resumes.
