Police contest claim Farage was told to avoid Clacton count due to “credible threat”

Doesn't sound too credible

As he told supporters that he had won “fairly convincingly”, the Reform UK leader added that he would not attend the official declaration of the result at Clacton Leisure Centre as Essex Police had told him about an “organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result”.

Essex Police, however, did not tell Farage or any other candidate not to attend the count, it is understood.

Later, a spokesperson for Reform UK said: “Essex Police advised Nigel not to attend the count tonight due to a credible threat against him.”

Anxiety, concern and threats - reasons why Farage didn't attend

Farage’s team judged there was “sufficient anxiety, concern and threats”, according to Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice.

Meanwhile, an Essex Police spokesperson said: “We have a proportionate and robust policing operation to ensure the safety and security of all participants in the count.”

Outside the count venue in Clacton-on-Sea, police vehicles were parked all night and officers patrolled outside the building, while a private security firm managed operations inside.

According to Clacton by-election acting returning officer Ian Davidson, he did not know that Farage would not attend the count until the Reform UK leader announced in a speech to his supporters elsewhere in Essex.

Farage secured a 12,784 majority, 62.82% of the vote, as he won with 22,239 votes, with Count Binface in second place on 9,455 votes.

The result, which was declared shortly after 6am, is up from his 8,405 vote majority, 46.2%, when he won at the general election two years ago.

Meanwhile, turnout was 44.37%, down by just over 14%.