Key North East figures have been reacting after Nigel Farage announced he intends to resign from his position as Clacton MP – but will fight the resulting by-election.
The Reform UK leader has claimed he intends to put his position to the electorate after intense scrutiny over his personal finances in recent weeks.
Mr Farage, who was arguably the most prominent proponent of Brexit, has faced questions over a £5 million gift he received from billionaire Reform voter Christopher Harborne shortly before he decided to stand in the 2024 General Election.
The gift was not declared and the Electoral Commission and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards launched investigations in May.
A Sunday Times investigation also claimed he had not properly declared support from George Cottrell – a long-standing supporter who was jailed for fraud in the US in 2017. Mr Farage has insisted he has followed the rules on the donations.
Mr Farage, who has been the victim of various physical attacks in the past, has said the money will be used to fund personal security. In a statement, he said he had “done nothing wrong” and had not “broken the law in any way”.
He confirmed that he would “resign as a Member of Parliament for Clacton-on-Sea, thereby forcing a by-election”. Mr Farage added: “I’ve decided that the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions.
“That is why I will be putting my name forward to stand in this by-election. I will fight to win. I will fight to continue the political revolution that Reform has started.”
Reform UK’s deputy leader of Durham County Council Darren Grimes was critical of the coverage Mr Farage had received, and said the group would stand behind the party leader. The Times’ recently published an image of his daughter’s house as part of a story on the politician’s property portfolio.
Coun Grimes said: “The same media that treats the harassment of a politician’s children as beyond the pale has decided it’s perfectly acceptable when the target is Nigel Farage and his daughter.
“The editor of The Times published a photograph of where she lives. That isn’t journalism, it’s intimidation, and it is disgusting.
“Nigel is right to hand this to the people of Clacton. Let them be the judges, not a Westminster establishment desperate to remove through process what it can’t beat at the ballot box. Reform Durham is behind him all the way.”
Mr Farage has also said Reform UK has offered to pay the cost of holding the by-election. However, he has been criticised by figures from opposition parties.
Labour MP for Blyth and Ashington, Ian Lavery said: “An utterly bizarre decision by a desperate individual. This is distraction politics at its best.
“It certainly looks as if Mr Farage is rattled by the Parliamentary commissioner's investigation and additional allegations to come; perhaps he is of the opinion this might wipe the slate clean. I’m not sure I’d agree with that.
“The world doesn’t revolve around one man and people will see this for exactly what it is.”
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness added: “This is proof of one thing only, Farage only cares about Farage.
“This is a stupid stunt to distract from his dodgy donations. It won’t work.
“He has zero respect for the people of Clacton. Zero. Never fall for his ‘man of the people’ bull****. It’s all about him, never about you.”
The 2024 election saw Mr Farage receive 46.2 per cent of the vote in Clacton, well ahead of the Conservatives on 27.9 per cent and with Labour a distant third on 16.2 per cent.
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President of Northumberland Conservatives Richard Wearmouth said “Reform and Mr Farage love dishing out criticism but hate scrutiny of their activities.
“Politicians don’t just ‘get’ £5m personal gifts. It all looks very very odd and fits a pattern of failing to be clear with the public about what money Mr Farage receives personally and why.
“Instead of answering legitimate questions he has triggered this by election as one huge distraction. He always wants to play the martyr, however the public are tiring of his act. Voters deserve better than this.”
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