Rivals prepare for Clacton byelection as Farage £5m gift inquiry nears end

Rivals of Nigel Farage are preparing for a possible byelection in Clacton, as speculation grows that the parliamentary standards inquiry into a £5m gift to the Reform UK leader is nearing its conclusion, the Guardian reports. Conservative sources said the party is ready to contest the seat, though shadow cabinet figures are split on whether it is winnable after Farage's byelection win in August.

Other parties, including the hard-right Restore Britain, are also expected to stand candidates this time, having boycotted the summer poll. Westminster is bracing for a wider battle over Reform's future if the standards inquiry imposes a heavy sanction.

The investigation began after the Guardian revealed in May that cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne gave Farage £5m shortly before the 2024 general election. Farage has said the payment was personal rather than political and did not need to be declared, but rules require financial support linked to an MP's role to be registered if given within 12 months before entering parliament.

If a serious breach is found, the commissioner would send a memorandum to the standards committee, which would then hold further discussions and possibly a hearing before deciding a penalty. That process can take weeks, and the MP can appeal to the independent expert panel, adding a month or more. A suspension of more than 10 days, if approved by parliament, could trigger a recall petition requiring signatures from 10% of Clacton voters over six weeks.

Previous cases involving Margaret Ferrier and Peter Bone took well over six months from the commissioner's report to a byelection, suggesting a vote is more likely next year than before Christmas. Neither Ferrier nor Bone contested their seats, and some Conservatives hope Farage might also stand aside. 'There's a question of whether he will stand again,' one shadow cabinet minister said.

Reform sources insisted Farage would fight for the seat again, pointing to his byelection victory over independent candidates including Count Binface by more than 11,000 votes. Farage has launched a national tour and reorganised party headquarters, including a new Reform TV channel staffed by 12 'journalists' led by former GB News producer Aaron Lobo. In the 2024 general election, he won Clacton with a majority of 8,000, defeating Conservative incumbent Giles Watling, who had held the seat in 2019 with a majority of over 25,000.