I spent the day in Clacton, here’s what voters there really think of Farage

Nigel Farage will seek to steer the political agenda back to his safe space – immigration – after his polling numbers dropped significantly following revelations about his finances and his decision to trigger a by-election in his Clacton-on-Sea seat. The i Paper visited the Essex coastal town late last week, where some residents reported irritation that there was a by-election at all. However, loyal supporters of the Reform UK leader told this newspaper that he “speaks for Britain” and they plan to back him. In the absence of mainstream rivals to the Reform UK leader, over 30 candidates are standing, with his most high-profile opponent being the self-styled “intergalactic space warrior” Count Binface. Although some voters declared their loyalty to Farage, others said the circus had annoyed them and expressed frustration there are no alternatives other than novelty candidates or little-known independents. Others were unaware of an election taking place. Farage called the by-election last month after claiming a sleaze investigation was being used as a political tool against him. He said he wants the people of Clacton, rather than Parliament’s standards watchdog, to judge him. The Reform UK leader was under investigation by the Parliamentary authorities over an undeclared £5m gift from Christopher Harborne, a cryptocurrency billionaire. The probe is paused during the by-election campaign but is expected to resume if he’s re-elected. Farage says there was no obligation to declare the money because he was not an MP when he received it, describing the cash as a private, unconditional gift for personal security and a reward for Brexit campaigning. ‘A complete waste of time’ Clacton resident Sandra Hatton, 75, who used to work for the police, described the by-election as unnecessary, calling herself politically homeless. “If Mr Farage gets in again, they’re still going to do the inquiry on him. So, it’s a complete waste of time. I don’t like his policies. I think that he focuses on immigration all the time, and I think the solution to immigration is employ more people to process the immigrants that are coming in, and then we can decide if they’re legal or illegal. But his policies are just appalling,” Hatton told The i Paper. Farage has frequently spoken of the threat of an “invasion” of illegal migrants and will return to that theme this week after chaotic scenes on Thursday at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa, where an estimated 60,000 migrants crossed from Morocco. Reform’s home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf visited Ceuta on Saturday. “I have spoken to a number of them who made it quite clear they intend to make it to Britain,” Yusuf claimed. “One even admitted that they’re wanted for murder in their home country.” Although most of the arrivals have now returned, their entry caused tensions across European capitals as leaders vied to reassure their domestic audiences of their toughness on immigration. Reform’s hardline approach to immigation Reform proposes a hardline immigration overhaul that includes abolishing Indefinite Leave to Remain, banning non-UK citizens from social housing, and restricting welfare to British citizens only. The party proposes a mass deportation plan under which anyone arriving in the UK illegally would be automatically denied asylum and could be detained indefinitely pending removal. It would also seek to identify and deport migrants living in the country unlawfully. The trouble for Farage is that while he could once pounce on the Tories’ record, under the Labour Government the number of migrants arriving in the country across the English Channel has fallen significantly when compared to the same time last year. John Hooper. 79, a retired Stansted Airport worker says he supports Nigel Farage’s views on migration (Photo: Alex Lancaster-Lennox/The i Paper) A total of 14,200 people arrived in the UK via small boats so far this year, down 44 per cent compared to the same period last year. The Home Office and National Crime Agency have stepped up the seizure of small-boat engines and have enhanced enforcement collaboration with the French to deter departures. Despite Labour’s 2024 manifesto promise to decrease small-boat arrivals by dismantling smuggling gang networks, the Home Office is cautious about declaring victory; a summer influx might yet inflate the numbers. The number of arrivals last year was only 9 per cent lower than the 2022 peak, which was just shy of 46,000. Farage’s focus on migration risks punching a Labour bruise. While Prime Minister Andy Burnham kept Shabana Mahmood as Home Secretary and voted in favour of her reforms in the Immigration and Asylum Bill, plans to double the general settlement wait time to 10 years are not popular with her party: nearly 80 Labour MPs urged a rethink. ‘Farage speaks for Britain’ For John Hooper, 79, in Clacton town centre, Farage “speaks for Britain” and will get his vote at the by-election on August 13 for his migration policies. “He wants to get rid of the boats, he wants to do everything that’s common sense,” the retired Stansted Airport worker told The i Paper. “He’s a dreamer that Burnham because he wants everything that you can’t afford. We all want a better world, we all want everything really good for Britain, but how unless you pay for it?” Hooper is not bothered that Farage has called the vote –“it’s his prerogative”– nor concerned about the allegations around Reform’s finances. “Five million pounds, that’s nothing to them. They all get it one way or another. Different schemes they’ve got going, all these politicians,” he said. Reform proposes a hardline immigration overhaul that includes abolishing Indefinite Leave to Remain and banning non-UK citizens from social housing (Photo: HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images) Further questions have been raised over the probity of donations made to Reform by Fiona Cottrell, who is the mother of “Posh” George Cottrell, a close aide to Farage who has previously been convicted of wire fraud in the US. George Cottrell, Farage and Reform all deny any wrongdoing. Fiona Cottrell has not responded to requests for comment from the media. Farage is likely to face further scrutiny this week after The Sunday Times reported that he struck a deal to return as Reform leader months before the 2024 general election. The allegation risks undermining his reason for not declaring the £5m gift from Harborne as he has claimed he “wasn’t in politics” when he accepted it. According to polling by BMG Research on behalf of The i Paper, the Reform UK leader has seen his net approval ratings drop by 10 percentage points in just a month. The figures show that almost half of people surveyed – 49 per cent – are dissatisfied with his performance as leader of Reform, and only 23 per cent are satisfied. In Clacton, Linda Swinbourne is enjoying the sun outside her beach hut she’s jokingly named Bathing Bellies. The 79-year-old retired nurse is voting for Farage. The questions about campaign finance don’t bother her. “I think he’s quite straightforward, and if somebody gives you a gift, it’s a gift. And I don’t think he would want to blacken his name because he’s got a good reputation here,” she said. Announcing his resignation in early July to trigger the by-election, Farage railed against the establishment and claimed his security was under threat, a point that has convinced some of his existing supporters. ‘Space politician’ Count Binface is standing against Farage (Photo: Aaron Chown/PA Wire) They include James Hawkins, 52, who used to work as a French polisher. He said the alleged murder of Reform’s immigration and justice spokesperson Ann Widdecombe showed Farage is at risk. He added that when Green Party Leader Zack Polanski, re-posted a photo of a man wearing a T-shirt with an image of a guillotine and the slogan “we’re only making plans for Nigel”, his view on the Reform leader’s security was re-confirmed. “Now that could actually justify why maybe he took the money, because you don’t know who’s out there, all these people that are going about with all these mental health conditions, people that are violent and so on, maybe he did get the money to look after himself in a security way,” Hawkins said. ‘It’ll be like Comic-Con on that stage’ Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and Restore Britain all refused to stand against Farage, leaving novelty candidates and minor parties as the competition. They include “intergalactic space warrior” Count Binface, three from the Monster Raving Loony Party, “anti-woke” controversialist Laurence Fox, and Romani-Gypsy influencer, Trewley Precious. When the votes are announced “it’ll be like Comic-Con on that stage,” Binface said. But down on the beach, there is one holiday-maker who is seeing the real-world consequences of Farage’s anti-migration rhetoric, and to her it’s no joke. Elena Gatu, 38, who is originally from Romania but after 11 years here considers the UK home, said she no longer feels welcome (Photo: Alex Lancaster-Lennox/The i Paper) Elena Gatu, 38, is originally from Romania, but after 11 years and giving birth to her son here, she considers the UK home. “Lately, I don’t think I feel so welcomed. It’s not that someone told me that specifically, it’s just everything you see on the news. I’m just a little bit worried that there might be a day when they might say: ‘You know what, just go back to Romania because we don’t want you here anymore’.” “Mr Nigel Farage is just spreading this and making it look like we’re here just to cause chaos,” said Gatu, who works in a builders’ merchant. “I keep telling myself that I might be wrong and it’s just in my head, but then the next day something else pops up.” “I’m not saying all immigrants are amazing and, no, we’re all different. I think it’s fair to treat everyone fair,” she added. Gatu, who lives in London, cannot vote in Clacton. But Farage is not speaking to people like her anyway. Seeking to revive a lacklustre by-election campaign by returning to his base’s key concern of migration this week, Farage hopes he’ll be on more solid ground.