v
Nigel Farage is Clacton’s MP (Image: Getty)
The Labour and Conservative vote in Nigel Farage’s constituency has collapsed as the Reform UK leader celebrates a victory.
The party’s candidate, Aimee Keteca, won a council by-election in Bentleys and Frating, Tendring this week.
Yesterday, Clacton’s MP hailed the result, a gain from the Conservatives, as “a big win for Reform”.
Mr Farage’s party attained 45.3% of the vote. The Liberal Democrats came second, gaining a hefty 16.8% to reach 34.4% of the ballots.
Get the latest politics news – straight from our team in Westminster and more
Invalid email
You agree you are 18 or over. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info.
The Conservatives tanked and only got 17.1%, a 31.4% decrease. Labour acquired 3.2%, down 7.7%.
Reform has also won two seats at the Rochester East and Warren Wood by election for Medway Council.
The party’s Chairman Zia Yusuf announced on Friday that, of the six recent council by-elections, Reform won two and came second in two.
All were with vote shares of between 27 and 45%, he added, and all were Reform’s first outings in the seats.
Mr Yusuf then proclaimed: “Our campaign machine is starting to fire!”
It comes as Mr Farage’s party has been ranked higher than Labour and the Tories in national polls.
Results released by Find Out Now on Wednesday suggested that Reform UK was on 29% (+2), Labour 25% (+2) and the Conservatives on 18% (-3).
Reform has been placed ahead of Labour in some polls (Image: Getty)
At the end of January, experts at Electoral Calculus stated that polling showed Reform UK overtaking the Conservatives in its monthly poll-of-polls for the first time.
It added: “Reform are two points ahead of the Conservatives, and two points behind Labour, and in what is close to a three-way tie in terms of vote share.
“Translated into seats, Labour would still be the largest party, but would be well short of a majority in the House of Commons.
“A Labour-Lib Dem coalition would be the most likely outcome at the moment, with a comfortable 52-seat majority.”
Labour and Tory Vote Collapses in Nigel Farage’s Seaside Seat as Reform Surges
Nigel Farage’s political position in the Essex seaside constituency of Clacton illustrates the changing dynamics of British politics, as Reform UK seeks to consolidate its support and the traditional parties face growing pressure from an increasingly divided electorate.
Clacton has become one of the most closely watched constituencies in the country because it is represented by Reform’s leader himself. The seat offers a useful insight into the party’s appeal among voters concerned about immigration, the cost of living, public services and the direction of national politics.
Yet claims that Labour and Conservative support has collapsed in Farage’s constituency need to be considered alongside the actual election results, the candidates standing and the circumstances of each contest.
In August 2026, Farage was re-elected as Clacton’s MP after triggering a by-election following his resignation. The result gave Reform another opportunity to demonstrate its strength in a constituency that had already become central to the party’s political identity. <Cite refs={[“turn321711search2″,”turn321711search1”]} />
The contest was unusual, however. The main established parties did not field candidates, leaving Farage to face a ballot dominated by independents and smaller political groups. That meant the result could not be treated as a straightforward comparison between Reform, Labour and the Conservatives.
Even so, Clacton remains an important case study in the wider transformation of British politics.
Why Clacton Matters to Nigel Farage
Clacton-on-Sea and the surrounding communities have long had a distinctive political character. The constituency includes seaside towns, rural villages and communities facing economic challenges that differ from those experienced in many wealthier parts of southern England.
The area has an older-than-average population and a substantial proportion of residents who supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum. Those characteristics have helped make it an important constituency for politicians campaigning on immigration, sovereignty and dissatisfaction with Westminster.
Farage won Clacton at the 2024 general election, becoming a Member of Parliament after several previous attempts to enter the House of Commons. His victory gave Reform a prominent parliamentary platform and placed its leader directly in the political arena he had spent years criticising.
For Reform, holding the seat is about more than maintaining a parliamentary presence. It allows the party to argue that its message resonates with voters outside the traditional Labour and Conservative strongholds.
For its opponents, the constituency provides an opportunity to test whether Reform’s support can withstand scrutiny of its policies, leadership and record.