MPs who trigger by-elections shouldn't be allowed to stand in them: Politicians pissing people around for their own ends.

[noblegiraffe]

What the fuck is Farage thinking, pissing people about like this? I'm pretty sure he wasn't happy at Burnham using the people of Makerfield for his own political purposes and now he's doing the same thing?

And how exactly is it 'taking on the establishment'? Yeah, him and his five million pounds 'taking on the establishment'. He is the fucking establishment. Rich twat who manipulates the rules to suit his own ends, hobnobbing with other rich twats and calling in favours whenever it suits.

What exactly is this pantomime achieving apart from a pause in the investigation into his finances?

Fuck off.

I hope that the people of Clacton, who have to all intents and purposes been represented in name only, vote for someone other than Nigel Farage.

However, I think that in a democracy, an MP should be allowed to resign and stand again. I am sure for those who change parties there are many who think someone should do so. No doubt some in Newark in the case of Robert Jenrick, though for him it should be a by-election resulting in the criminal charges of corruption he should be facing.

However, I think that in a democracy, an MP should be allowed to resign and stand again.

At significant cost to the taxpayer? For the stated reason of 'taking on the establishment'?

How is that not just pissing our money up the wall?

It must cost quite a lot to hold a by-election. I seem to remember a figure being quoted in the recent Makerfield one, but I can’t remember at all what it was.

It hardly seems a good use of taxpayers’ money for the sitting MP to resign and stand again. Having said that, Farage might lose - in which case we might consider it was money well spent!

However, I think that in a democracy, an MP should be allowed to resign and stand again.

no, not if he is standing for the same party…thats not democratic, thats game playing and a waste of public money

Honestly I want labour or lib dem or even the tories to add up the costs of all these by elections. So next time reform bang on about water public money they can put a figure on how much of our money Nige and his band of merry twats have cost the country.

by my reckoning it must be in the six figures by now?

I mean, I really hope that no other party fields a candidate so it just ends up being even more visibly a pointless waste of money.

Or him versus Count Binface.

I completely agree. This is a farce.

I’m with you there. All the other parties except the Greens (so far) are boycotting it. Farage has been left with egg on his face.

You've hit the nail on the head straightaway OP, kicking the can down the road but he’ll get back in and the investigation can go ahead.

if you resign, you’ve to miss a turn 😃

OMG I would love it if they all boycott except Binface.

Nothing so British as deflating an puffed-up self-important wanker by a good old bit of piss-taking.

The other parties shouldn't validate this bullshit.

The Lib Dems have called for a boycott of the bye election. The Tories have said they will not field a candidate. Labour's NEC is meeting now to decide. Rumour has it they will not field either.

a bye election, in my opinion, should happen when and if Farag e is found to have broken the fiscal rules that b ind MPs.

this smacks of Farag e trying to evade responsibility. What a surprise.

Oh please please please please please!

I love the responses from the main political parties. Labour, tories, Lib Dem’s and even Restore have said they’re not standing a candidate. Green Party are undecided at present.

Id love for Nigel Farage to fight Count Binface in the election. He’ll look pathetic no matter what the result.
(edit: I didn’t even see the response from count binface before posting 😂 glad he’s on board)

About £230,000 according to BBC verify.

I'm sure that everyone can think of better uses for that public money.

Apparently they are paying for it? I don't live there and am not a Reform supporter, but I do know a lot of people in the north think if there is a new PM, there should be a General Election. Don't like a lot of things about Farage, but I suppose at least he's putting his money where his mouth is, and either he loses (very likely, surely!) or he has a definite mandate and was voted in by the people, unlike Starmer's replacement.

Farage should rename himself Count (my millions) Weaselface.

Surely it's against the rules for him to pay for it?

Ah yes, buying an election to prove that you aren't corrupt 👍

he has a definite mandate and was voted in by the people

I don't get this point at all. He was already voted in by the people. Mandate for what? Taking bribes?

YNBU.

I wonder what the people of Clacton think of his performance.

I have a nasty feeling that Farage will be elected again. He won with 46.2% of the vote last time, though I hope he doesn’t win! Can’t stand the weasel.

…and may the Count be victorious!

It looks like none of the major parties are standing candidates against him so either he'll win but prove nothing and look like an idiot on a vanity project, or Binface will win and it will be the funniest thing ever.

Farage is heading for the largest majority of any MP, which is amusing.

But Andy Burnham was voted in by the people in his constituency in the exact same way that Farage is hoping to be voted in. I'd argue that Andy Burnham had a greater mandate because it was an open by-election rather than one where Farage is possibly the only candidate.