Reform UK splits emerge as Farage skips victory declaration, drawing internal criticism

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Internal Divisions at Reform UK Emerge Despite Farage's Landslide Victory

Nigel Farage secured a comfortable victory in the Clacton by-election, but the win has been overshadowed by internal party tensions and questions over his decision to skip the official result declaration.

Security Concerns or Avoidance?

A Reform UK spokesperson stated that Farage did not attend the count due to a credible threat, saying: “Essex Police advised Nigel not to attend the count tonight due to a credible threat against him.”

However, Essex Police sources denied this claim. In a statement, the force said: “We have a proportionate and robust policing operation to ensure the safety and security of all participants in the count.”

Addressing supporters at a rally in the early hours of Friday morning, Farage offered a different explanation. He said he wanted to avoid the other candidates:

“I’m damned if I’m going to stand on a stage, having won a resounding victory, a ringing endorsement of all that I’ve tried to fight for, and you’ve tried to fight for, and be demeaned and humiliated by nobodies.”

The By-Election Result

Farage won the Clacton by-election with 63% of the vote and a majority of 12,784 over self-styled intergalactic space warrior Count Binface, who came second with nearly 9,500 votes.

Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens, and Restore Britain all declined to field candidates in the by-election. Farage triggered the contest by resigning as Clacton’s MP last month, following an investigation by parliament’s standards commissioner into his failure to declare a £5 million gift from a Thailand-based crypto billionaire.

Criticism from Within

Tim Montgomerie, who defected from the Conservatives to Reform UK last year, publicly criticised Farage’s decision to avoid the count. Writing on X, he said:

“This is a good result for @Nigel_Farage. Very good actually... He should be on every TV screen this morning - underlining his win - and with that cheeky, trademark smile on his face. Being the Nigel that so many voters like the idea of hanging out with... in a pub.

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“But this recently far too dominant aggrieved tone is still with us. It’s not good. You don’t skip your own victory count without a much better explanation.

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“Anger from politicians can work but only if it’s on behalf of others - not yourself. He’s distracting from his victory. Puzzling.”

A Reform source told HuffPost UK it was “not a good look for Nigel to skip the count.”

Deputy Leader Defends Decision

Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice defended Farage’s absence during an appearance on GB News:

“Ultimately, it was judged by Nigel’s team that there was sufficient anxiety, and concern, and threats, that meant that whilst of course he would love to have been at the count, ultimately his security counts for more than anything else, and I don’t think anybody, frankly, should in any way question his team’s judgment on that.”

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