Story perspectives

Clacton By-Election Aug 13: Farage Sole Major Candidate, 34-Candidate Record

8/6/2026

Summary

Story summary

The United Kingdom will hold a Clacton by-election on 13 August with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as the sole major-party candidate.
Thirty-four candidates will appear, creating the longest ballot in British electoral history.
Howling Laud Hope has stood in 37 elections since 1983, never reaching 5 % and losing his £500 deposit each time, while Laurence Fox received 714 votes (2.3 %) in the 2023 Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election, also forfeiting his deposit.

History

Historical Context

In 1997 the Winchester result flipped from a two-vote Conservative win to a Liberal Democrat landslide after a court voided the poll for mis-stamped ballots, prompting a by-election on 20 May where Mark Oaten won by 21,556 votes. The 13 August 2024 Clacton by-election, featuring 34 candidates and Reform UK’s Nigel Farage, echoes that precedent, showing how crowded ballots can overturn expectations.

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Story summary

The United Kingdom will hold a Clacton by-election on 13 August with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as the sole major-party candidate.
Thirty-four candidates will appear, creating the longest ballot in British electoral history.
Howling Laud Hope has stood in 37 elections since 1983, never reaching 5 % and losing his £500 deposit each time, while Laurence Fox received 714 votes (2.3 %) in the 2023 Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election, also forfeiting his deposit.

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