Kemi Badenoch has vowed to put forward a “serious candidate” in Clacton should a parliamentary standards investigation lead to a second by-election in the Essex constituency, reports BritPanorama.
This declaration comes as voters in Clacton are set to go to the polls next Thursday, August 13, following Nigel Farage’s decision to step down as an MP, triggering the current contest.
The Reform UK leader is seeking re-election and appears on an extensive 3ft-long ballot paper with 34 candidates listed.
However, the UK’s largest parties – Labour, the Conservatives, and the Liberal Democrats – are notably absent from the race, having dismissed the by-election as a “stunt.”
Mr Farage is currently under investigation by parliamentary standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg regarding a £5 million gift from cryptocurrency tycoon Christopher Harborne, received before he took his seat in the Commons. The investigation, which examines whether he should have declared this money upon entering Parliament, was paused with his resignation, though it is likely to resume if he wins the by-election.
If the investigation results in a finding of a rules breach, leading to a suspension of more than 10 days, it could trigger a recall petition, potentially causing Mr Farage to lose his seat.
Mr Farage has maintained that he has “not broken the law in any way at all” and has framed the standards probe as being “used as a political tool.”
In a letter to the people of Clacton, Badenoch stated: “Nigel Farage has called this by-election not to help you but to help himself.”
She further criticized Mr Farage, saying, “Mr Farage wants the people of Clacton to settle his problems for him,” and suggested that he aims to leverage public support as a validation of his actions amid the ongoing investigation.
Building on her argument, she asserted that the people of Clacton are entitled to question the motivations behind such a substantial donation to Mr Farage, who previously claimed it was for his security due to a lack of help from the state.
As an MP representing Essex, Badenoch expressed her commitment to providing a robust candidate when a genuine election process occurs, stating: “When the proper process has run its course and there is a genuine contest, we will be there.”
She concluded, “I will put forward a serious candidate who understands that representing Clacton is a job, someone who turns up, listens, holds meetings and works for the people who live here.”
Who is running in the Clacton by-election?
Mr Farage’s opponents in Clacton include Count Binface, actor-turned-politician Laurence Fox, and several candidates from the Official Monster Raving Loony Party, among others. The full list includes candidates from independent parties as well as various affiliations.
