The Guardian Politics

Donald Trump can’t beat Iran and Nigel Farage can only beat a bin. When it counts, these populists are just losers | Jonathan Freedland

The pattern in the US and Britain is clear. They serve up stunt after stunt to mask incompetence and the betrayal of all those who trusted themIt’s a shame Nigel Farage ducked the announcement of his victory in the Clacton byelection, which confirmed his return as MP for the seat he had needlessly resigned from just a few weeks earlier. You’d have thought he would have loved it. It was the culmination of a stunt, an exercise in politics as performance. It was a display animated by – and seeking

politics  Aug 14, 2026

BBC Politics

Chris Mason: Is this a good day or a bad day for Nigel Farage?

As expected, the Reform UK leader easily won the Clacton by-election but was nowhere to be seen after the result.

politics  Aug 14, 2026

The Guardian Politics

Farage wins Clacton byelection, but was it worth it? – podcast

Nigel Farage has won the Clacton byelection he triggered by resigning from the seat because he wanted to allow voters to ‘stick two fingers up at the entire establishment’. The Reform UK leader’s political finances were under investigation at the time. That process has now resumed, posing the risk of another byelection if Farage is found to have broken the rules. Has his party emerged stronger or weaker as a result of the byelection? And what next for Reform UK and its leader? Alexandra Topping

politics  Aug 14, 2026

The Guardian Politics

What does Clacton get for its loyalty to stroppy Nige? Next to nothing | John Crace

Why bother to improve people’s lives – or even show up – when getting votes is this easy? In many ways, though, the stunt hasn’t paid offWhat can Clacton possibly have done to deserve this? Is this some cosmic karma for a past existence in which the town executed hundreds of innocent women and children? Surely, even then, enough is enough. For the past few years Clacton seems to have been the centre of some abusive psychological experiment. The sort the Americans used to run in the 1950s and 60s

politics  Aug 14, 2026

The Guardian Politics

‘Let’s see what he can do’: will Burnham bring Barnsley voters back to Labour?

Reform UK overturned the ‘red wall’ in May, but with questions over Farage’s finances and a new face in No 10, could Barnsley be a bellwether for changing Labour fortunes?Labour marked its worst performance in more than 50 years when voters went to the polls in Barnsley in May, but 100 days on from those seismic local elections, the political landscape has shifted drastically.Could the South Yorkshire town, where Reform UK reaped the benefits of dissatisfaction with Labour, prove to be a test ca

politics  Aug 14, 2026

BBC Politics

Temporary ban on sale of disposable BBQs over wildfire risk

Government issues a temporary ban on the sale of disposable barbeques as they pose a "significant risk to the public".

politics  Aug 14, 2026

The Guardian Politics

‘Disgraceful’: what one photo from Clacton tells us about British politics in 2026

Byelection results have been interpreted positively by Farage and Binface, but one spoiled ballot tells its own storyUK politics live – latest updatesIt ended, perhaps fittingly, on a rather baffling note. After 34 days of campaigning to regain the parliamentary seat of Clacton on England’s south coast, Nigel Farage, the leader of the Reform UK party, declined to turn up to the town’s leisure centre to hear himself declared the winner and MP. It was quite the thing. The last high-profile winning

politics  Aug 14, 2026

BBC Politics

Disability campaigners call for Burnham to delay assisted dying bill

Activists say introducing assisted dying without reforming care puts "sick and disabled people's lives at risk".

politics  Aug 14, 2026

The Guardian Politics

Green groups urge Andy Burnham to break silence on climate crisis

Environmental campaigners say PM urgently needs to show leadership and prepare UK for the scale of change that is neededUK politics live – latest updatesThe UK’s leading climate organisations have accused prime minister Andy Burnham of “remaining silent” on the climate crisis as the country struggles to cope with its fifth heatwave of the year.As widespread droughts and devastating wildfires grip the country green groups have written to Burnham urging him to “show leadership” and be honest with

politics  Aug 14, 2026

The Guardian Politics

So Nigel Farage has beaten a man in a bin. But he's in deep trouble, and he knows it | Owen Jones

The Reform leader claims vindication from the people, and it’s too early to write him off. But the problems he now faces may be more than he can bearNigel Farage is a rattled, embattled politician. Perhaps he feels buoyed up by securing slightly more votes in a byelection boycotted by all the main parties than he did in the general election two years ago. That was despite 10,000 fewer people turning out to vote. But there was never any question that he was going to win a byelection he called pur

politics  Aug 14, 2026

BBC Politics

What do Nigel Farage's constituents think of his re-election?

The Reform leader wins the by-election he triggered, and wins more votes.

politics  Aug 14, 2026

BBC Politics

Count Binface gets almost 10,000 votes in Clacton by-election

The self-styled intergalactic space warrior finished second to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

politics  Aug 14, 2026

BBC Politics

Has the by-election changed things for Clacton?

BBC East's political correspondent Andrew Sinclair analyses Nigel Farage's victory.

politics  Aug 14, 2026

BBC Politics

Count Binface 'gratified' for being present at declaration

Count Binface - whose real name is Jonathan David Harvey - received 9,455 votes for the Clacton by-election.

politics  Aug 14, 2026

BBC Politics

Farage wins Clacton by-election but avoids result declaration

The Reform UK leader wins with 63% of the vote in a contest boycotted by the other major parties.

politics  Aug 14, 2026

BBC Politics

Muted response as Nigel Farage declared winner

Farage won 22,239 votes, with Count Binface in second with 9,455 votes.

politics  Aug 14, 2026

BBC Politics

Farage's by-election victory won't stop questions about finances

Nigel Farage triggered the Clacton by-election and the result was predictable - so what did he achieve?

politics  Aug 14, 2026

The Guardian Politics

Burnham won’t fix our prisons crisis until he dares to be honest with the public about crime | Polly Toynbee

Most crime figures have drastically fallen, but people don’t believe it. It’s no wonder when politicians whip up emotions and attempt to bend the lawAn astounding change is happening to life in England and Wales that most people don’t know about, and when they are told they don’t believe it. Most crime, including violence, has fallen by a remarkable 90% over the past 30 years. But only 6% of people believe it, while 61% think crime is going up. This great denial is the background cause of the pr

politics  Aug 14, 2026

The Guardian Politics

Prisons are full - who should be released early? – podcast

Former prison governor Judith Feline on the reality of our overcrowded prisons and Peter Walker on why it’s causing a headache for Andy BurnhamAt the last count, two weeks ago, there were almost 86,500 people in prison in England and Wales. That’s about 5,000 more than even the Ministry of Justice accepts can be held safely on the prison estate. But that’s not a new story – prisons have been full for years now.They were full when David Cameron was prime minister. They were full under Boris Johns

politics  Aug 14, 2026

BBC Politics

'Welcome to one of the most bizarre by-elections in recent history'

Votes are being counted in the Clacton by-election, with results expected in the early hours of Friday.

politics  Aug 13, 2026