Tories ready Clacton fight as Farage £5m gift probe nears end

Nigel Farage’s rivals are gearing up for a byelection in Clacton in the months ahead as speculation grows that the standards inquiry into his £5m gift is nearing a conclusion. Conservative sources said the party was ready to fight in Farage’s seat, although senior figures in the shadow cabinet are divided about whether it would be winnable given Farage’s victory in a byelection over the summer. Other parties, including the hard-right Restore Britain, are also expected to put up candidates in the seat this time after boycotting the August poll.

Westminster is poised for a battle over the future of Reform if the sanction from the standards inquiry is a heavy one. The process could theoretically take place before Christmas if a decision is imminent, but the timelines of previous cases suggest it is more likely to be next year if a serious sanction is imposed. In the cases of Margaret Ferrier, the SNP MP who broke lockdown rules, and Peter Bone, the Tory MP found to have bullied staff, it took well over six months from the conclusion of the commissioner’s report for a byelection to take place.

The investigation into Farage’s gift began after the Guardian revealed in May that the crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne had given him £5m just before the last election in 2024. The Reform leader has said it was a personal matter, not political, and the money did not need to be declared. The rules state that financial support related to an MP’s job needs to be registered if given in the 12 months before they enter parliament.

Under the process, if a serious breach is found, the commissioner will pass a memorandum to the standards committee of MPs and lay members. They would then have further discussions and call a further hearing or invite evidence from the MP before deciding on a penalty. That process can take weeks.

The MP also has a right of appeal to the independent expert panel, which can take a further month or more.