The candidates
Everyone standing in the by-election, updated as each candidate is confirmed. The definitive list is the Statement of Persons Nominated, published by Tendring District Council after nominations close.
Nominations have not yet opened. Candidates listed as "declared" have publicly announced they will stand; parties shown as awaiting have not yet named a candidate. Check back — this page is updated the day anything changes.
Declared candidates
Standing confirmed 7 July 2026
Leader of Reform UK and MP for Clacton from July 2024 until his resignation on 7 July 2026. Previously leader of UKIP and the Brexit Party, and a Member of the European Parliament for South East England from 1999 to 2020. He won Clacton in 2024 with 46.2% of the vote, on the largest swing recorded at any UK general election.
Farage resigned his seat while under investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over undeclared financial support, saying he had "done no wrongdoing and followed the rules" and describing the investigations as an "establishment hit job". He is standing again to seek a fresh mandate from Clacton voters.
WebsiteWikipedia
Sources: newstatesman.com · en.wikipedia.org
Awaiting a candidate
These parties stood in Clacton in 2024 or are expected to contest the by-election, but have not yet announced who will stand.
Conservative
No candidate yetConservative and Unionist Party has not yet announced a candidate for the by-election. This card will be updated as soon as one is declared.
2024 in Clacton: 12,820 votes (27.9%) — Giles Watling
Labour Party has not yet announced a candidate for the by-election. This card will be updated as soon as one is declared.
2024 in Clacton: 7,448 votes (16.2%) — Jovan Owusu-Nepaul
Liberal Democrats has not yet announced a candidate for the by-election. This card will be updated as soon as one is declared.
2024 in Clacton: 2,016 votes (4.4%) — Matthew Bensilum
Green Party of England and Wales has not yet announced a candidate for the by-election. This card will be updated as soon as one is declared.
2024 in Clacton: 1,935 votes (4.2%) — Natasha Osben
Could anyone else stand?
Yes. Anyone eligible can stand by submitting nomination papers signed by ten local electors and a £500 deposit once the election notice is published. High-profile by-elections typically attract a long ballot of smaller parties and independents. Official candidate data will also appear on WhoCanIVoteFor (Democracy Club) once nominations close.