An unusual field. After Nigel Farage resigned and stood again, every main opposition party said it would not contest the by-election, leaving Reform UK facing 13 candidates from smaller parties and 20 independents and unlabelled candidates. Platform summaries are kept short and neutral — follow the links for each party's own material.
Leader: Nigel Farage
Reform UK holds the seat, won by Nigel Farage in 2024 with 46.2% of the vote. The party campaigns on cutting immigration, leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, lower taxes, and reforming public services. Farage resigned the seat on 7 July 2026 and is standing again in the by-election.
2024 in Clacton: 21,225 votes (46.2%) — Nigel Farage
A satirical novelty candidacy, the alter ego of comedian Jon Harvey, known for standing against senior politicians in their own seats. With the main opposition parties standing aside, Count Binface has been widely described in coverage as the highest-profile challenger to Nigel Farage on the ballot.
Leader: Howling Laud Hope
A satirical party founded in 1983 by musician Screaming Lord Sutch, which stands joke candidates on deliberately absurd manifestos. It has three candidates on the Clacton ballot: leader Howling Laud Hope, Nick The Incredible Flying Brick and Baron Von Thunderclap.
Leader: Laurence Fox
A small party founded by actor Laurence Fox in 2020, campaigning on free-speech and anti-"woke" themes. Fox is standing as the party's candidate in Clacton.
Leader: William Clouston
A small party descended from the Social Democratic Party founded in 1981, campaigning on a platform that pairs economic intervention with social conservatism. Its leader, William Clouston, is its candidate in Clacton.
A single-issue party campaigning for the UK to rejoin the European Union. Its candidate in Clacton — one of the most strongly Leave-voting constituencies in the 2016 referendum — is its deputy leader John Stevens, a former Conservative MEP.
A small nationalist party. Its candidate in Clacton is Kai Stephens.
A small party fielding Adham Alkhatip as its candidate in the by-election.
A small party formed in 2020 that campaigns on civil liberties and individual freedom of choice. Its candidate, Martin Davies, appears on the ballot under the description "Freedom Alliance - Real People, Real Alternative!".
A small registered party. Its candidate, Ketankumar Pipaliya, appears on the ballot under the description "UK VOICE safer and stronger UK".
A small registered party. Its candidate in Clacton is James Ransley.
A small registered party. Its candidate in Clacton is Marcus White.
These parties either contested Clacton in 2024 or hold seats nationally, but have not put up a candidate this time. Their own words on why are summarised below; the percentages show how each did in the constituency in 2024.
Leader: Kemi Badenoch
The Conservatives held Clacton from 2010 to 2024 (with a brief UKIP interlude in 2014–15) and finished second in 2024 with 27.9%. Leader Kemi Badenoch has said the party will not stand in what she called "Farage's fake by-election", while indicating the Conservatives would contest any subsequent by-election in the seat.
2024 in Clacton: 12,820 votes (27.9%) — Giles Watling
Leader: Keir Starmer
Labour, the party of government nationally, finished third in Clacton in 2024 with 16.2% of the vote. It is not contesting the by-election, with senior figures calling the circumstances of Farage's resignation "pathetic".
2024 in Clacton: 7,448 votes (16.2%) — Jovan Owusu-Nepaul
Leader: Ed Davey
The Liberal Democrats took 4.4% in Clacton in 2024 and led calls for an expanded standards inquiry into the financial support received by Nigel Farage. Leader Ed Davey said the party would not stand and urged others to do the same, arguing the resignation should not be rewarded with a contest.
2024 in Clacton: 2,016 votes (4.4%) — Matthew Bensilum
Leader: Zack Polanski
The Green Party polled 4.2% in Clacton in 2024. It is not contesting the by-election, describing it as designed to "serve Nigel Farage's personal political ambitions".
2024 in Clacton: 1,935 votes (4.2%) — Natasha Osben
Leader: Rupert Lowe
The party founded by Rupert Lowe, who was elected as a Reform UK MP in 2024 before leaving the party. Lowe said Restore Britain would not take part in what he described as a Reform-sponsored media circus.
Nineteen of the 34 candidates on the ballot are standing as independents — the largest single block in the contest. Four give an address in the Clacton constituency and one more elsewhere in the Tendring district; the rest come from across the UK. Independents appear on the ballot paper with the description "Independent" and no party emblem.
Candidates may choose to stand with no description at all, in which case their name appears on the ballot paper on its own. One candidate, Daniel Pocock, has done so.
See every candidate in ballot-paper order →
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nigel Farage | Reform | 21,225 | 46.2% |
| Giles Watling | Conservative | 12,820 | 27.9% |
| Jovan Owusu-Nepaul | Labour | 7,448 | 16.2% |
| Matthew Bensilum | Lib Dem | 2,016 | 4.4% |
| Natasha Osben | Green | 1,935 | 4.2% |
| Tony Mack | Independent | 317 | 0.7% |
| Andrew Pemberton | UKIP | 116 | 0.3% |
| Craig Jamieson | Climate Party | 48 | 0.1% |
| Tasos Papanastasiou | Heritage Party | 33 | 0.1% |