Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform U.K. and an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, resigned as the member of Parliament (M.P.) for Clacton on Tuesday, triggering a by-election in the seat. But Farage's political career is far from over. He has said he will run for the same seat he just vacated.
The resignation follows speculation concerning undeclared financial gifts Farage has received over the past few years, including a 5 million pound (around $6.7 million) payment from Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based cryptocurrency billionaire, shortly before he stood for election in 2024. Harborne has given Farage's party more than 22 million pounds (around $29 million) over the past seven years, according to The Guardian. The Sunday Times also reported that George Cottrell, a British aristocrat who served prison time in the U.S. for wire fraud, provided funding for parts of Farage's political operation, including social media, staff, security, travel, and accommodation. However, Farage only declared some travel-related donations.
