Zia Yusuf has claimed that the boycott of a Clacton by-election by Labour, Tories, Greens, and LibDems is only because they know they would lose to Farage. He told BBC Breakfast:
“The legitimacy of those elections is not determined by which parties coordinate together to not stand candidates. It is very much down to the people of Clacton to make a determination. And I’m confident that they will return Nigel Farage to the House of Commons.
Why have Labour and the Tories decided not to stand? And the second question would be if they thought for a moment they had a chance of unseating the man who has been a thorn in their side for decades, the man whose political party has led 350 national opinion polls in a row. If they had a chance, if they thought they had a chance of unseating Nigel Farage, they would field a candidate. And this is what’s so extraordinary about this endless witch hunt.”
As it currently stands Nigel Farage will be versus ironic candidate Count Binface. Reform wants the writ moved today. Will Reeves grant the by-election in good time by appointing Farage out of the Commons?
Reform has accused the National Crime Agency of illegally leaking its MPs’ bank statements to the media. Tice has written to NCA director general Graeme Biggar to demand an urgent investigation…
Both Tice and Nigel Farage were the subject of leaks. Tice has written after the Guardian obtained details of a loan his company received from George Cottrell. Individual donation transactions were flagged to the NCA under its Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) scheme, as about 3,000 do per day. They didn’t warrant further investigation…
Tice claims the Guardian had details from multiple accounts that only he and the NCA could have known, leading him to believe the NCA leaked the material for political reasons. Would be a serious breach from “Britain’s FBI” if true…
Farage says:
“Several media organisations have been hounding my daughter. When I approached the boss of Sky News and complained, they denied any contact — and so did their news report. Sky News are liars. I demand an apology from them and a promise not to repeat it.”
Sky News’ defence is that the daughter didn’t answer the door…
Popcorn out…
Reform has offered to cover the cost of the Clacton by-election for the taxpayer. Nigel Farage says:
“I have spoken to the CEO of Tendring District Council. Reform has offered to cover the cost of the by-election. I will be writing to Rachel Reeves later today with the same message. Given that we asked for this by-election in the first place, it’s only right that we pay for it.”
In 2014 the average cost of a by-election was £239,529. About £335,000 today…
If Reeves says no or there is no legal mechanism to do so Reform could make a voluntary donation to HM government of equivalent value. Covers the cost…
Clacton is almost completely coastal, comprising seaside resorts along the Tendring peninsula including Clacton-on-Sea, Frinton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze. An estimated 73.0% voted Leave in 2016, 71.6% of homes are owner-occupied, and the median age is about 53…
Farage won Clacton from Tory MP Giles Watling with 46.2% of the vote, ahead of the Conservatives on 27.9%, with a majority of 8,405. Turnout was 58.7%. The swing from Conservative to Reform of 45.1% is the largest swing for any seat at a general election. Britain Elects says: “We’d be looking at Reform obtaining around 60% in Clacton in a general election held today.”
The current Nowcast Projection for Clacton on the last election:
Polling day is likely on the 6th, 13th or 20th August. Star Sports gives Farage an 88% chance of victory. There could in theory be another by-election after that if the standards investigation rules against Farage after he is returned to parliament…
Lee Anderson, speaking to The Sun’s Tom Scotson, reveals the wokest thing he’s ever done: “I once had a vegetarian thought, about becoming a vegetarian. That was quickly dismissed when I had a bacon sandwich…”