There were a record 34 candidates standing in the Clacton by-election
Some of the candidates at the Clacton by-election (Image: Getty)
Nigel Farage has won the Clacton by-election amid contested claims he was told by police not to attend the election count due to a “credible threat” against him.
The Reform UK leader pre-empted the official declaration by telling supporters he had won “fairly convincingly” and the result on the hottest day of the year was an “overwhelming endorsement” of him.
However he said he would not attend the official declaration of the result at Clacton Leisure Centre as Essex Police had told him about an “organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result”.
A Reform UK spokesperson later said: “Essex Police advised Nigel not to attend the count tonight due to a credible threat against him.”
But it is understood that Essex Police did not tell Mr Farage, or any other candidate, not to attend the count.
A spokesperson for Essex Police said: “We have a proportionate and robust policing operation to ensure the safety and security of all participants in the count.”
Here is the full list of all record 34 candidates and how many votes each receieved:
Results in full:
Joseph 77 (Independent) – 42
Adham Alkhatip (The Forward Party) – 49
Count Binface (Count Binface Party) – 9,455
Nick The Incredible Flying Brick (The Official Monster Raving Loony Party) – 28
Tony Cane (Independent) – 17
Woke Trump Carrzee (Independent) – 8
William Clouston (Social Democratic Party) – 256
Rees Cowne (Independent) – 50
Glenn Cummings (Independent) – 7
Martin Davies (Freedom Alliance) – 60
Andy Erlam (Independent) – 44
Nigel Farage (Reform UK) – 22,239
Attieh Fard (Independent) – 126
Laurence Fox (The Reclaim Party) – 347
Tony Francis (Independent) – 432
Robin Green (Independent) – 59
Abi Hookway (Independent) – 14
Howling Laud Hope (The Official Monster Raving Loony Party) – 18
Stephen Ingram (Independent) – 159
Amy Morris (Independent) – 46
Derrick Morris (Independent) – 100
Martyn OBrien (Independent) – 65
Michael O’Keeffe (Independent) – 19
Nick Pelas (Independent) – 202
Ketankumar Pipaliya (UK Voice) – 21
Daniel Pocock (Independent) – 16
James Ransley (Consensus Party) – 192
Gerry Smith (Independent) – 9
Kai Stephens (British Democrats) – 132
John Stevens (Rejoin EU) – 492
Baron Von Thunderclap (The Official Monster Raving Loony Party) – 15
Pamela Walford (Independent) – 371
Marcus White (Everyone is God Party) – 10
Marc Wilkinson (Independent) – 11
The turnout was 44.37%. There were 280 spoiled ballots.
The contest was estimated to have cost taxpayers around £250,000 and the 90cm-long ballot paper has also caused logistical problems for Tendring District Council and returning officer Ian Davidson.
The size of the ballot paper means larger tables than usual will be required at the count and the result will be announced on the floor of Clacton Leisure Centre rather than on a stage due to the number of candidates who would have to fit on it.
Photographers and TV cameras covering the count have been advised by officials they will need a wide-angle lens to fit all the candidates into a single shot.