The Westminster Desk | Living tracker, updated as the campaign develops. Last updated 16 July 2026.
Where things stand
Nigel Farage resigned as MP for Clacton on 8 July 2026, while under investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over a 5 million pound payment, and is standing in the by-election his resignation triggered. Every major party is boycotting the contest. Nominations close at 4pm on Friday 18 July, and polling day is Thursday 13 August.
Key dates
7 July: Farage announces resignation, says he will stand again. 8 July: formally leaves the Commons via appointment to the Manor of Northstead. 9 July: the writ is moved. 14 to 17 July: nomination window, closing 4pm on the 17th. After close: the returning officer at Tendring District Council publishes the statement of persons nominated. 13 August: polling day.
The candidates
Declared at the time of writing, per public statements: Nigel Farage (Reform UK), Count Binface, Laurence Fox (Reclaim), the Monster Raving Loony Party, the Rejoin EU Party, the Climate Party, the Forward Party (Adham Alkhatip), the British Democrats (Kai Stephens), Family Farmers Against the Farm Tax (Robert Elwes), and independents including Piers Corbyn, Marc Berger, Ollie Granger, Rob Pownall, Luke Worley and Remus Bell. Declaring is not the same as being nominated: each candidate needs ten registered Clacton electors' signatures and a 500 pound deposit. The confirmed field is published after nominations close.
Not standing, by their own announcement: Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and Restore Britain, who have described the contest as a stunt.
The standards inquiry
The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards opened an inquiry on 13 May 2026 into a 5 million pound payment to Mr Farage from Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based businessman, examining a possible failure to register an interest. The Sunday Times subsequently reported undeclared support from George Cottrell covering staff and accommodation, widening the questions. Mr Farage says the Harborne payment was a private gift for personal security, that he was under no obligation to declare it, and that he has done nothing wrong. Analysis by the Hansard Society indicates the inquiry is effectively on hold while he is not a Member and would resume if he regains the seat; declining to cooperate would itself breach the Code. This is an inquiry, not a finding.
Polling and prices
Ipsos (8 to 9 July, 1,000 British adults): asked who they would prefer to win, 33 per cent said Count Binface, 21 per cent Nigel Farage, 32 per cent neither. The same poll found 74 per cent support the standards investigation and 73 per cent say it should continue even if Mr Farage wins. Bookmakers have quoted Mr Farage around 1/6 and Count Binface around 4/1. Preference polling is not vote-intention polling; no constituency vote-intention poll has been published.
What happens next
The statement of persons nominated, expected after 4pm on 17 July, confirms the field. The desk will update this page the same day.
