Farage celebrates as Reform UK win 5th Seat in Essex after recount

Basildon South and East Thurrock was won with a majority of just 98 votes

Reform UK Leader and Clacton MP Nigel Farage
Author: Josh BarnesPublished 5th Jul 2024

"Go on my son" were the words of Nigel Farage after Reform UK won their fifth parliamentary seat.

Following a recount, Reform UK won the Basildon South and East Thurrock constituency, as James McMurdock won with a majority of just 98 votes.

In the video released on X, Farage said, "Our candidate James McMurdock was a paper candidate, drafted in at the last minute, former city boy, and he was absolutely neck and neck with Labour,"

"So I rang him up and said 'Look, give me the name of your agent, so I can find out what's happening because they were on the third recount' - he said 'I haven't got an agent. I'm my own agent.'

"I said, 'well, who's in the hall watching the vote count? And he said 'my mum and dad' - and he's won. He's an MP - go on my son!"

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