LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – JULY 7: British Reform Party leader Nigel Farage announced his resignation as an MP while delivering a statement about his “future in public life” at Milbank Tower in London, England, on July 7, 2026. Mr Farage added that he intended to stand in the by-election following his resignation. The comments came amid renewed attention to the financial support he received ahead of his election as Clacton MP. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
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Nigel Farage, leader of Britain’s right-wing party Reform UK, announced on Tuesday that he was resigning from parliament to contest a special election “for the people versus the establishment.”
Mr Farage, an ally of US President Donald Trump and a prominent figure in British politics, resigned from parliament amid mounting criticism of his financial arrangements.
Farage has been the subject of an investigation by Britain’s Parliamentary Standards Commissioner since May for failing to declare a 5 million pound ($6.7 million) gift from cryptocurrency investor and Reform Party donor Christopher Harbourne ahead of the 2024 parliamentary elections.
Over the weekend, the Sunday Times reported that the reformist leader also received financial support from political ally George Cottrell, who was convicted of wire fraud in the US in 2017.
Mr Farage said in a statement on Tuesday that the council’s standards were being used as a “political tool” against him, adding that the voters of his constituency, Clacton, “should be the judge”.
Mr Farage previously described the scrutiny of his finances as “a job that hit the establishment hard”, saying: “The establishment decided they couldn’t beat us fairly… they chose to use foul means.”
What is the relationship between Donald Trump and Nigel Farage?
President Trump appeared to support Farage on Monday, posting an article on Truth Social with the headline: “They’re running a 2024 anti-Trump strategy on Nigel Farage.”
The comments came despite suggestions in recent months of a rift between the two sides after Mr Farage failed to secure a meeting with the president during his visit to Mar-a-Lago in March.
Mr Farage was elected to parliament in the same year’s general election and has been leading the populist right-wing party Reform Britain since 2024.
Reform UK has been leading in most British opinion polls since April 2025, suggesting the party could win the next general election, due by August 15, 2029, and form the next government with Mr Farage as prime minister.
Mr Farage, a key figure in the Brexit campaign, previously served as a member of the European Parliament and developed a reputation as a fierce critic of the EU and its institutions.
He previously led the UK Independence Party (UKIP) from 2006 to 2009 and from 2010 to 2016, but resigned as leader following the successful Brexit vote.
