Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has announced his resignation as Member of Parliament for the constituency of Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, triggering a by-election in which he intends to run again. In a video message released by his party, Farage stated he resigned with immediate effect and called on voters to judge his actions, saying the electorate of Clacton will be the judge of his conduct.

The announcement comes amid allegations concerning undeclared donations and private income that, according to accusers, were not fully disclosed to Parliament. Farage has denied any wrongdoing, claiming he has done nothing wrong and that the donations he received, including five million pounds in 2024 from crypto entrepreneur Christopher Harborne, were intended for his personal security and were received at a time when he did not hold a parliamentary seat.

Farage described himself as the target of a campaign orchestrated by the political and media establishment, citing threats, assaults, and alleged shortcomings in the protection afforded to him by the authorities. He characterized the complaints filed by the Labour parliamentary majority with the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner and the Electoral Commission as political instrumentalization, accusing the government of trying to deflect attention from Labour's difficulties.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Farage's move a desperate action and stated that Farage is immersed in corruption, adding that politics should aim to improve people's lives rather than serve personal gain or hide suspicious donations.

The by-election could take place as early as September. According to some observers, the initiative is an attempt to turn a potentially damaging investigation into an electoral test of strength. While Farage's re-election appears probable, the outcome is no longer considered as certain as in previous weeks, also in light of a slowdown for Reform UK in recent polling after a long period of growth.