POLICE have said they did not warn Nigel Farage not to attend the Clacton by-election count, the Press Association has said.
Farage declared victory earlier in the night but claimed he wouldn't be attending Clacton Leisure Centre due to "advice from police".
He said he had been warned about an “organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result”.
Essex Police said it had “a proportionate and robust policing operation to ensure the safety and security of all participants” at Clacton, but the Press Association reported that the force did not advise any candidate not to attend the count.
A Reform UK spokesperson had said: “Essex Police advised Nigel not to attend the count tonight due to a credible threat against him.”
The Reform leader told an all-night “Farage-fest” event organised by Reform in Essex: “I’m not scared of these people, far from it.
“But I’m damned if I’m going to stand on a stage, having won a resounding victory, a ringing endorsement of all that I’ve tried to fight for, and you’ve tried to fight for, and be demeaned and humiliated by nobodies, and I will not sadly be attending the count.”
Farage was due to make what was billed as a “major speech” in Clacton at 10.30am on Friday, but Reform cancelled it, saying he had “already commented on the expected result of the by-election”.
Essex Police directed inquiries on Farage’s claims to Tendring District Council, who were running the election.
Council acting returning officer and chief executive Ian Davidson said he did not know that Farage would not attend the count until the Reform UK leader announced it in his speech to his supporters.
“It is up to individual candidates’ wish to or do not wish to attend the count, but as far as we’re concerned we will be able to complete this count successfully and safely for all the candidates, my staff here and all the visitors,” Davidson said.
“I am not aware of what has been said, or what that threat is.”
Davidson said Essex Police had assigned an assistant chief constable as part of a “Gold Command” policing operation.
He said he did not believe there was any threat serious enough for the count to be called off, but that he could not comment further on security matters.
The by-election was triggered by Farage’s resignation over scrutiny of donations from a cryptocurrency tycoon. Labour and the Conservatives said his victory would not draw a line under the controversy.
In his speech, Farage said, hours before the result was formally declared: “The verdict is now in, and it is a convincing, overwhelming win with more votes than we got in the general election of 2024.”
He added: “Today the voters in Clacton have stuck up two fingers to the entire political establishment.”
Asked about the disputed claim of threats on GB News, deputy leader Richard Tice said: “Well, as you can imagine, given everything that’s gone on in recent days and weeks, security is very paramount to all of us at Reform.
“Ultimately, it was judged by Nigel’s team that there was there was sufficient anxiety, and concern, and threats, that meant that whilst of course he would love to have been at the count, ultimately his security counts for more than anything else, and I don’t think anybody, frankly, should in any way question his… team’s judgment on that.”
Asked whether he could say anything more about information the party claims to have received that meant Farage did not want to be on stage, he said: “No, I can’t. But I think we should just trust those tasked with keeping Nigel safe and alive, I hesitate to say, but that’s what the task is.
“And if a credible threat is perceived or a deep anxiety, whatever you want to term it, clearly they’re going to err on the side of caution, and that’s just the reality.
“So, yes, of course, it’s a shame he would have loved to have been there, but security is paramount, and everybody knows we’ve had a very, very difficult few weeks and last couple of months.”
