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Nigel Farage says he ‘didn’t want to resign as MP’ but was ‘forced’

Published 10:35 12 Aug 2026 BST

Updated 10:35 12 Aug 2026 BST

Christian Buschardt
Nigel Farage says he ‘didn’t want to resign as MP’ but was ‘forced’

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Reform chief claims he never intended to step down as Clacton MP hours before by-election

Nigel Farage came out saying he never intended to step down as MP ahead of tomorrow’s by-election after speaking to Metro.

The leader of Reform UK claims that he didn’t intend to force a by-election but that the political establishment made him step down.

“I did not want to resign as your MP and have this by-election. But the political establishment forced it upon me,” said Farage.

‘My promises to Clacton are simple: I will always be accountable to you; I will always take on Westminster for you; I will always fight to fix broken Britain for you.’

Farage added that it had been ‘one of the greatest privileges of my life’ to spend two years as MP for Clacton.

After much scrutiny for the £5 million ‘gift’ he received from crypto billionaire, Christopher Harborne, the political figure stepped down.

An investigation was launched into whether Farage should have disclosed the ‘gift’, which was promptly paused after stepping down as MP.

However, if Farage is to win the by-election tomorrow, the investigation is set to start again.

Major political parties such as Labour, Lib Dems and the Green Party have all boycotted the Clacton by-election, considering Farage’s step down as a political stunt.

Reform is now set to go against 33 political adversaries, which comprises the likes of Count Binface who has gained momentum in a growing ‘Farage fatigue’.

A second by-election could take place if the investigation doesn’t go in Farage’s favor, in which major parties would likely compete. 

Farage previously announced his resignation on stream, saying: “Why should they be the people that decide my fate when, as I repeat, I’ve done nothing wrong?

“The people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions,” he added. “The vote would provide a chance to stick two fingers up to the entire establishment.”

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