Farage, one of Britain’s leading Brexit campaigners, in a highly unusual move did not turn up for the count in the southern English seaside resort of Clacton because he said the police had advised him that there was a campaign to disrupt the result.
“I am damned if I am going to stand on a stage, having won a resounding victory… and be demeaned and humiliated by nobodies,” Farage told supporters at a party before the result was announced.
The election was triggered after Farage resigned from parliament last month to seek a fresh mandate from voters in what he described as a war against an establishment bent on discrediting him over taking undeclared gifts from donors.
After Britain’s main parties pulled out of the race, calling it a self-serving stunt, Farage’s main challenger ended up being Count Binface, a figure created by comedian Jonathan Harvey, who has become a fixture of fun at British elections
While Farage took 22,239 votes, or 62.8 percent, Count Binface, whose policies included capping the price of ice cream cones and conscripting anyone using a speakerphone on public transport, secured 9,455 votes, or 26.7 percent.
After enjoying a lengthy lead in the opinion polls, Reform has seen its popularity wane, driven partly by the funding accusations made against Farage, who is under investigation in parliament over whether he should have declared a £5 million gift from a cryptocurrency billionaire investor.
After declaring his decision to trigger the election in Clacton little more than a ploy to distract from those allegations, other British parties pulled out of the race, leaving even some of Farage’s strongest supporters questioning whether the veteran politician had been wrong-footed.
Farage’s position has not been helped by a rise in support for the governing Labour Party.
Since Andy Burnham became prime minister last month, Labour has been enjoying a bounce in ratings, with the party leading Reform 28 percent to 25 percent.
Burnham has dominated the airwaves and social media in his first few weeks in office, and while the next national election is expected in three years’ time, he appears to be consolidating a left-leaning bloc around Labour.
Reform, on the other hand, is competing for a divided right-wing vote with the Conservative Party and the anti-immigration party Restore Britain gaining in support. (Reuters & AFP)
