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The Guardian Politics14 Aug 2026

Nigel Farage wins Clacton byelection in contest boycotted by every other major party

Reform UK leader beats nearest challenger, Count Binface, in byelection he caused amid deepening scandal over £5m gift Clacton byelection – UK politics live Nigel Farage has seen off Count Binface to win the Clacton byelection in a contest boycotted by every other major political party. The Reform UK leader in July triggered the byelection in an attempt to shake off a deepening scandal over a £5m gift he received from the cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne. Continue reading...

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics14 Aug 2026

Nigel Farage says he won’t attend count in Clacton byelection against Count Binface - UK politics live

The Reform UK leader will not be present at vote count in byelection he has tried to frame as the ‘people versus the establishment’ Nigel Farage set for decisive but arguably empty victory in Clacton Nigel Farage has said he will not attend the Clacton byelection count after advice from Essex police about a plot to embarrass him on stage during the announcement of the result. The Reform UK leader pre-empted the official announcement of the result of the byelection by telling supporters he had

PoliticsReformCrime
The Guardian Politics13 Aug 2026

Nigel Farage set for decisive but arguably empty victory in Clacton

Leader of Reform UK on course to defeat Count Binface and an assortment of fringe candidates as polls close in Essex Voting has closed in one of the UK’s more unusual and least tense byelections, with Nigel Farage set for a decisive if arguably empty victory against dozens of independent, fringe, extreme or otherwise oddball opponents. The Reform UK leader sought re-election to his Clacton seat in early July in an attempt to regain the political initiative following weeks of scrutiny over gifts

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics13 Aug 2026

Nicola Jennings on Nigel Farage, Count Binface and the Clacton byelection – cartoon

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PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics13 Aug 2026

Polls open in Clacton, as research shows Farage has spent more than £10,000 in byelection – UK politics live

The Reform UK leader resigned as the MP for Clacton at the start of July and forced a byelection Good morning. In the media, August is known as the “silly season”. With parliament not sitting and many people on holiday, there is less proper news than normal, which means the nonsense stories get (even) more attention than usual. We are almost slap bang in the middle of the month, and today we’ve got a silly season classic in Clacton, where Nigel Farage, the Reform UK candidate, is fighting a byel

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics13 Aug 2026

Clacton polls open with Farage up against slew of fringe candidates

Longest ballot in UK voting history features likes of Count Binface and Howling Laud Hope alongside Reform leader Polls have opened in Clacton, with thousands of residents in the Essex seat to vote in a ballot featuring Nigel Farage and a range of novelty and fringe candidates led by Count Binface. The Reform UK leader resigned as the MP for Clacton at the start of July and forced a byelection in an attempt to address complaints over a deepening scandal about gifts he received. Continue readin

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics13 Aug 2026

Yvette Cooper says Labour ‘did not do government very well’ under Starmer

Health secretary praises more collegiate style under Andy Burnham and says previous No 10 sidelined her from key policy launch Yvette Cooper admits Labour has “not done government very well” in the last couple of years, and accused Keir Starmer’s No 10 of sidelining her during the launch of a key immigration policy when she was home secretary. Speaking on the Political Currency podcast with the former Conservative chancellor George Osborne, Cooper highlighted some of the difficulties ministers f

PoliticsImmigration
The Guardian Politics13 Aug 2026

Category C and women’s prisons could be upgraded to ease overcrowding

Exclusive: Ministers explore diverting male prisoners serving short terms or on remand away from tougher jails Ministers are examining a possible upgrade of security at men’s category C and women’s prisons to deal with an overcrowding crisis across the England and Wales estate, the Guardian understands. Officials have explored diverting prisoners on remand or serving short sentences away from category B “reception” prisons such as HMPs Liverpool, Manchester and Pentonville in north London. Cont

PoliticsCrime
The Guardian Politics12 Aug 2026

Ella Baron on Nigel Farage and the Clacton byelection – cartoon

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PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics12 Aug 2026

Bridget Phillipson condemns Richard Tice’s ‘chilling attempt to silence free press’

Labour chair says Reform deputy leader is trying to harass journalists over reporting on his financial affairs UK politics live – latest updates Richard Tice has been accused by Labour’s Bridget Phillipson of mounting a “deeply chilling attempt to silence the free press” after he sent a legal threat to the Guardian over its reporting on his financial affairs. Lawyers for Tice, the deputy leader of Reform UK, singled out a Guardian correspondent for her journalism about a series of Tice’s finan

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics12 Aug 2026

Andy Burnham to chair emergency Cobra meeting amid extreme heat

PM touts ban on disposable barbecues as areas hit by wildfires – but some Labour MPs will be hoping for more ambitious ideas to tackle crisis UK heatwave live – latest updates Andy Burnham will chair an emergency Cobra meeting in response to extreme heat, which has caused wildfires and plunged many parts of Britain into drought. The prime minister will meet ministers, officials and agencies as high temperatures continue across the UK, with temperatures of 33C forecast on Wednesday and up to 38

Politics
The Guardian Politics12 Aug 2026

Probation chief says he’s ‘not fully confident’ service will cope with early prisoner releases – UK politics live

Martin Jones expresses concern scheme will increase pressure on probation service as Burnham addresses controversy over PC Harper’s killers Good morning. Andy Burnham is chairing a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee this afternoon to discuss the heatwave and the climate crisis. About time too, some people will say. One of them is Zack Polanski, the Green party leader, who has been calling for this and who posted this on social media in response. Good. Now we need action. Tax f

PoliticsEconomyEnvironmentCrime