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The Reform UK leader resigned in a shock speech, where he said the people of Clacton should be the judges of his actions after weeks of scrutiny over financial ‘gifts’ he received

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Farage is already under investigation over a £5million gift(Image: Sky News)

Nigel Farage’s resignation will trigger a by-election for the people of Clacton-on-Sea.

After weeks of mounting scrutiny over his finances, the Reform UK leader announced he was stepping down as MP for Clacton, saying “the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions.” In the surprise announcement Farage confirmed he would stand in the by-election triggered by his own resignation.

In the speech he said: “This will be a people versus the establishment by-election. It’s a chance to stick two fingers up to the entire establishment, to frankly tell them where to go. And that is why I will be putting my name forward to stand in this by-election. I will fight to win.”

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Before his resignation, Farage warned a journalist there would be “serious consequences”(Image: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)

Farage is currently under investigation by Parliament’s standards commissioner over a mysterious £5million gift from a crypto billionaire. But recent reports have claimed he also failed to declare another financial benefit – this time from a convicted criminal – and has now been referred to the commissioner again. The claims suggest he accepted staffing, security and housing from George Cottrell, known as “Posh George”, an aristocrat, in the year before he became an MP, going against rules in place at the time of his election.

In response to his announcement, a spokesperson for Andy Burnham said: “This is a gimmick designed to distract from serious allegations about Farage’s funders. What really matters in politics is how we can change Westminster to take power for communities and bring it back to people to make life more affordable for them.”

If it is found he breached the rules, he could face sanctions. Before his resignation, that could have included a Commons suspension triggering a recall petition and a by-election, but now those parliamentary sanctions would no longer apply in the same way

Commenting on Nigel Farage’s resignation on Tuesday 7, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “Let’s call this Nigel Farage announcement out for what it is – a cynical political stunt to distract from his dodgy dealings with crypto crooks and super rich aristocrats. Whether it’s multi-million pound bungs, luxurious houses, or fully funded apparatchiks, Reform’s undeclared cronyism stinks.

“Farage is jumping before he’s pushed. This is straight out of the Trumpian playbook – attacking the media and anyone daring to ask legitimate questions about his finances. Britain and Clacton deserve better than this.”

The growing scrutiny appeared to take its toll on the party leader, who has lashed out at interviewers on several occasions. Most recently, he warned a journalist there would be “serious consequences”.

Asked whether it was a mistake not to declare the financial support he received from Cottrell, he said: “You tell your bosses, you harass my family any more there will be serious consequences. That’s what your organisation has done this morning. Go away.”

He added: “Did you not hear me? You have broken all the rules, Leveson and everything else. Cut.”

Labour has urged the Electoral Commission to investigate the donations and whether the support should have been declared, arguing Farage was already a prominent figure in Reform UK before returning to Parliament.

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Farage has given many explanations to why he accepted the first ‘gift’(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

The party also questioned whether Montenegro-based Cottrell was a permissible donor, claiming it was unclear whether he was on the UK electoral register at the time.

Anna Turley MP, Chair of the Labour Party, said: “This scandal isn’t going away the more Nigel Farage tries to avoid scrutiny – it’s only getting worse. The time for him to be straight with the public is long overdue. The Reform Leader must put all the evidence on the table if he is to clear his name.

“Serious allegations of rule breaking are already being assessed by the Parliamentary authorities. It is now abundantly clear that Mr Farage may have not only broken Parliamentary rules, he may have broken the law.

“Farage can’t brazenly brush this off as being ‘none of your business’ any longer. He needs to own his self-inflicted scandal and prove he’s not been secretly breaking the rules and taking the British public for fools.”