Nigel Farage elected as Clacton MP
It means the Reform UK leader has won a UK parliamentary seat at his eighth attempt
Last updated 5th Jul 2024
Nigel Farage has been elected as Clacton's MP, in Essex, on his eighth attempt to win a UK parliamentary seat.
The Reform UK leader says the party will be a "non-racist, non-sectarian" party, and that this election is now the "beginning of the end" for the Conservative party.
After winning his seat in the House of Commons, for the first time, representing Essex, Mr Farage said: "It's not just disappointment with the Conservative party, there is a massive gap on the centre-right of British politics and my job is to fill it, and that's exactly what I'm going to do.
"But it's not just what we do in Parliament as a national party that matters, it's what we do out round the country."
The party leader was met by a scrum of photographers when he arrived for the count declaration, later saying there was a 'massive gap on the centre-right of British politics' and that it was his job is to fill it.
He told reporters at Clacton leisure centre: "It shows that there is a level of disenchantment with politics. I think people are looking for something different.
"But, and here's the important thing, this is not a protest vote. They're not saying two fingers up to the establishment. They're saying, 'you know what, we really agree with what these guys are saying, we really agree with what they're saying about tax levels, we agree with what they say about levels of legal net migration'.
"I promise you the enthusiasm of people voting Reform UK is truly extraordinary."
Reform UK candidate, businessman and former Southampton FC chairman Rupert Lowe has won Great Yarmouth, taking the seat from the Conservatives.