Nigel Farage latest: Reform leader insists Count Binface showdown is ‘real’ after by-election ridiculed

The Independent’s political reporter Athena Stavrou writes:

A government minister has said he “wouldn’t bother voting” in the Clacton by election if he lived there

Trade minister Sir Chris Bryant was asked whether he would back Nigel Farage’s only competitor, Count Binface.

“Listen, if I were living in Clacton, I wouldn’t bother voting, and that’s not something I would normally say,” he told the BBC

“But this is, as I say, it’s the worst kind of farce. It’s a farce that hasn’t got any jokes in it at all.”

Asked whether the decision of all major parties to not stand candidates was “indulging in petty politics”, he said: “This is a farce without any jokes in it that Nigel Farage is playing out these next few weeks, and I’m not going to participate in it.”

The Independent’s political reporter Athena Stavrou writes:

A government minister has accused Nigel Farage of “trying to pretend he’s Donald Trump” by calling a by election in Clacton.

Trade minister Sir Chris Bryant said Labour had decided not to stand a candidate after Mr Farage had a “hissy fit” and added: “I just don’t think that we should play along with that game.”

“I know what Nigel Farage is trying to do,” he told Sky News.

“He’s trying to pretend that he’s Donald Trump, and that they’re all out to get me in for me, in for me, all of that kind of stuff.

“I just don’t think it washes with most ordinary members of the public.”

The Independent’s political reporter Athena Stavrou writes:

Nigel Farage has insisted the by election he is fighting in Clacton-on-Sea is “real” – despite the only major candidate running against him being a man dressed as a bin.

The Reform UK leader’s bid to trigger a by election on Tuesday backfired massively after all the major parties said they would not stand in the “fake” contest.

The only candidate running against him so far is a ‘joke’ candidate, called Count Binface.

Asked on Thursday if he had considered the possibility of fighting as the only proper candidate, he told the Daily Mail: “No, of course not. Why would they [not contest]? It’s a real election.”

He added: “The fact Labour and the Conservatives don’t want to stand, they’re both showing contempt for the electorate. They can use whatever terms they want – it’s a real election with real people.”

Former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham will be formally declared Labour leader at a special conference on Friday 17 July, if no other candidates come forward.

He is expected to become prime minister three days later.

The Makerfield MP will still take part in an online hustings with Labour MPs on Monday evening, even if he is the only one in the running.

When ex-defence minister Al Carns was asked on Sky News whether he would put himself forward, he said it was clear that a three-month contest was “probably not the best use of Labour’s time”.

“So, my view would be we need to get on board. Andy’s done a good job with Manchester, he’s done a great job during Covid, he’s seen the Manchester Arena attack and dealt with that very effectively, and the economic trajectory of Manchester’s in a positive way.

“If we can do that at the local, the regional level, and the national level, I think that’s hitting the right place.”

The Green Party appears to be split over its defence policy after members called for the party to allow the use of semi-autonomous drones and anti-ballistic missile systems – in what would be a U-turn on current policy.

The business of adjudicating on the rules can’t be outsourced to seaside towns in Essex, writes David Aaronovitch:

For many voters in Clacton, support for their scandal-hit former MP remains unwavering:

Parliament’s foreign affairs committee wants to be given the power to veto political appointments to top diplomatic posts after the scandal surrounding Peter Mandelson’s role as ambassador to Washington.

MPs on the committee said there were still unanswered questions over Mandelson’s appointment and that documents showed a “dismissive view” about the need for security clearance.

They are pushing for reforms to security vetting and due diligence, including for public appointments not to be made before vetting is completed.

Mandelson was sacked as ambassador to the US in September 2025 after leaked emails that showed the peer sent supportive messages to late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein even as he faced jail for sex offences.

In April, it emerged that Foreign Office civil servants granted the peer developed vetting clearance despite the recommendation that this be denied.

Andy Burnham has announced that he wants billions of pounds of additional defence spending to go into British businesses.

As prime minister, he would aim to support British jobs and British workers by relying on the UK for equipment rather than American or European companies.

Writing in The Times, he said his priority would be “protecting the UK by boosting defence spending, reviving local industry and strengthening our alliances.”

He added that he also wanted to be “more open with the public about how and where defence funding is spent.

“We will take a new approach to regenerating and reindustrialising the country, and thereby strengthening its resilience.

“ That same approach will consider foreign policy, economic policy, security, social cohesion and British values as inextricably linked elements of the same strategic question.”