Opinion: The Reform Party leader and MP for Clacton-on-Sea will stand in a by-election in his own constituency
Nigel Farage has announced he will stand down as MP for Clacton-on-Sea to stand for a by-election in his own constituency, saying he wants “the people of Clacton to judge me.” Many voters have already made clear that he doesn’t visit the area or carry out the duties of an MP. Others have exclaimed that he doesn’t respond to constituents, and therein lies a series of issues.
The former MEP has constantly claimed he is an opponent of the establishment, despite having been part of it for more than 30 years. Commanding a significant fortune, Farage came under fire again for accepting an undeclared £5 million as a gift, which he says, is “not a donation“.
Statement
In Nigel Farage’s press conference, the Reform Party leader said:
“The issue with my daughter was the final straw. Enough is enough. And I thought over the weekend, what shall I do? I could go out and try and make some real big money. I could go to the USA, where I’ve got plenty of offers. And then I thought, why should I be judged today, or in history in the future, by Sky News and their ilk?Why should they be the people that decide my fate? When, as I repeat, I have done nothing wrong.
I thought about it hard and I have decided today I will resign as a member of parliament for Clacton-on-Sea, thereby forcing a byelection, which should happen, I hope, in short order.
Now I’ve decided that the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions. This will be a people versus the establishment byelection. 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 byelection.
I will fight to win. I will fight to continue the political revolution that Reform has started, and I would say this to you, the voters of Clacton, if I win, you win, because if I lose, they win, and we will never with the two old parties get the type of fundamental change that we need to fix broken Britain.”
Controversial Friendships
However, the Reform Party leader turned this around, claiming that the press has long harassed his family, including an incident where a reporter allegedly posted an image of his daughter’s front door. Not only is he a controversial figure in UK politics, but his association with US President Donald Trump, whom he has described as a friend, drops further breadcrumbs.
This has led to other controversial associations, like divisive figures Steve Bannon, podcaster Alex Jones and Geert Wilders, the latter of whom espoused openly Islamophobic views. Standing down as an MP is welcome, and the people of Clacton-on-Sea should put their money where their mouth is and vote in someone more competent and less showbiz.
Owain Davies / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opinion: New Muslim Integration Research Reveals Modern Britain
No matter what Muslims do, Britain refuses to accept us.
Andy Burnham Could Be a Popular, But Ruthless Prime Minister
As Keir Starmer steps down as PM, Andy Burnham appears to be next in line.
Opinion: The Rich Exploit the Belfast Riots from a Smug Distance
With unrest in Belfast, years of foreign interference have strengthened the far-right
Leave a Reply