Nigel Farage said he’d ‘bought a house’ in Clacton – it’s actually owned by his girlfriend

Nigel Farage has faced criticism about the amount of time he has spent overseas, mostly in the US, since he was elected MP for Clacton last July. Photograph: Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters

Nigel Farage claimed with great fanfare last year to have “bought a house” in Clacton – but it turns out the substantial detached property is owned in the name of his girlfriend.

The Reform UK leader said he had “exchanged contracts” to buy the house in Essex last November, saying it should deal with criticism that he does not spend enough time in the constituency.