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Nigel Farage has become the leader of Reform UK and will be standing for Parliament in the general election.
In a press conference on Monday afternoon, the former UKIP leader confirmed reports he is going to stand for Clacton, Essex. Mr Farage had until Friday to submit his name as a candidate to stand for MP.
Announcing his candidacy, Mr Farage said there is a “rejection of the political class going on in this country” and claimed the two main parties are very much the same.
It comes after Sir Keir Starmer said the nuclear deterrent is “fundamental” and “a vital part of our defence” during a speech on national security in Greater Manchester.
While the Labour leader noted caution on pressing the nuclear button, he ultimately said, “we have to be prepared to use it.”
And the Tories have pledged to change the Equality Act to define the protected characteristic of sex as “biological sex”. The minister for women and equalities Kemi Badenoch said the change is about “protecting those who are vulnerable”.
Key Points
- Farage to make emergency general election announcement
- Labour pledges to be the ‘party of defence’ as Starmer speaks in Greater Manchester
- Tories pledge to overhaul equality laws
- Badenoch: ‘Trans athletes shouldn’t compete against biological women’
- Starmer prepared to press nuclear button
‘I am standing for Clacton,’ Farage announces
Nigel Farage says he is coming back for the next five years as a candidate for Reform UK.
The party leader has confirmed he is standing for the constituency for Clacton.
He says: “I have decided, I’ve changed my mind. It’s allowed you know. It’s not always a sign of weakness it can potentially be a sign of strength.
“So I am going to stand for this election... in the Essex seaside town of Clacton.”
Mixed reaction from Clacton constituents
Jason Matthews, 51, who works in the care industry, said he “loved” Mr Farage and welcomed the news that he would be standing in Clacton.
He said: “I just love him as a person.
“Given the chance, I feel like he should be leading the Conservative Party really to be honest.”
When asked whether there were any Reform UK policies in particular that he supported, Mr Matthews replied: “Not really – I just like Nigel Farage as a person.”
He added: “He’s straight down the line, honest, says it how it is.
“I wouldn’t vote Labour or Conservative this time around because I just don’t trust either of them.”
Athena Stavrou4 June 2024 01:00 1717453835More reaction from seat Farage announced candidacy in
George Charalambous, 59, who moved to Clacton from east London around five months ago, said he thought voting for the Reform UK candidate was a “wasted vote” as Mr Farage “wouldn’t achieve much” if elected to Parliament.
The former factory worker said he would be voting for Labour but would also consider voting tactically either for Reform UK or the Liberal Democrats in order to defeat the Conservative candidate.
When asked for his opinion on Mr Farage’s decision to contest the Essex seat, he said: “He’s not going to achieve much because we’ve done Brexit.
“I am a Labour supporter, so would I vote for him?
“If he was a second choice, I say yeah, I probably would.
“At the end of the day, it’s sort of tactics really – I mean Clacton is a Conservative area, so obviously I want someone else to win.”
Athena Stavrou3 June 2024 23:30 1717450254Clacton residents give mixed reaction to Nigel Farage’s decision to contest seat
Residents of Clacton have given a mixed reaction to Nigel Farage’s decision to stand as the Reform UK candidate for the constituency at the General Election.
The party’s founder announced on Monday that he will be contesting the Essex seat and is taking over from Richard Tice as party leader.
As the announcement was made, the high street of the seaside town was quiet despite the mild weather and people did not seem keen to speak about the upcoming election or about Mr Farage’s announcement.
However, Edel Ruddy, 58, who has lived in Clacton for 40 years, told the PA news agency she would “definitely” be voting for Mr Farage on July 4 as she believed “his heart was in the right place” and he would “stand up” for the local area.
Ms Ruddy added she felt it was “unfair” that businesses in Clacton were closing down and that the town has been “forgotten”.
She added: “No-one wants to fight for Clacton.”
When asked what she supported about Mr Farage’s politics, Ms Ruddy said: “I think he’s the sort of person that will try and encourage people to do what they can to make things better.
“It’s the fact that he wants to try, especially here in Clacton.
“Clacton is so forgotten in so many ways – it’s just utterly ridiculous and unfair.”
Athena Stavrou3 June 2024 22:30 1717449604Tory chairman could be without a seat
Rishi Sunak’s election chief Richard Holden may be leading the party machine without being able to stand again for Parliament.
Mr Holden, the party chairman, has lost his North West Durham seat because of the boundary changes and has struggled to find a replacement.
He was shortlisted for the Central Suffolk and North Ipswich seat in tonight’s selection but has withdrawn at the last minute.
It is understood that there were objections to him being parachuted into the seat vacated by Dr Dan Poulter after he defected to Labour.
Neighbouring Tory MP Tom Hunt in Ipswich had posted a cryptic tweet “much to ponder” which some took as a sign of anger over the process.
Now Mr Holden has just three days to find a constituency.
David Maddox3 June 2024 22:20 1717446654Scottish party leaders going head to head
Leaders from four of Scotland’s political parties are going head to heard in the first televised debate currently.
The 90 minute debate will feature the SNP’s John Swinney, Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sawrwar and Scottish Liberal Democrats leader Alex Cole-Hamilton.
The Green’s have not been invited and have called the decision “outrageous”.
Athena Stavrou3 June 2024 21:30 1717443633Nigel Farage says he is back to target migration
Mr Farage says he is targeting Conservative seats and people who voted for a government that “allowed massively irresponsible immigration”.
He claims the Tories have allowed “2.4 million of migrants to stay in this country”.
He adds: “For the candidates standing in Leeds shouting Allah u Akbar, we are coming to get you...Sectarian politics caused by massively irresponsible migration policies, and it is the Conservative Party who opened the door.”
Athena Stavrou3 June 2024 20:40 1717442433Mapped: What would the election results look like under YouGov projections?
Athena Stavrou3 June 2024 20:20 1717441225Yellow placard wars
The Liberal Democrats have photobombed the prime minister while he was talking to voters in Leander Rowing Club, in Henley-on-Thames.
Deputy leader Daisy Cooper led a boat carrying Lib Dem supporters waving giant yellow placards that was seen passing behind Rishi Sunak.
A Lib Dem source said: “This is just another small boat Rishi Sunak can’t deal with.”
Hitting back, Rishi Sunak took to social media and said: “Classic Lib Dems, always selling voters down the river.”
Salma Ouaguira3 June 2024 20:00 1717440333Moment Grant Shapps hangs up phone live on TV when asked about losing his seat
This is the moment Grant Shapps hung up the phone during a live interview when he was asked about losing his seat in the upcoming general election.
A YouGov survey suggested the defence secretary could be voted out of parliament along with many of his Conservative colleagues.
While presenting the polls’ results on Sky News on Monday deputy political editor Sam Coates spotted Shapps was calling him.
The camera kept rolling as Coates answered and said: “Hello Grant Shapps, you’re live on Sky News.
“I’m in the studio with Sophy Ridge. Have you seen you’re about to lose your seat, according to the Sky News-YouGov projection?”
There was a moment’s silence before the phone emitted a few beeps, meaning Shapps was no longer there.
Watch here:
Moment Grant Shapps hangs up phone live on TV when asked about losing his seat
This is the moment Grant Shapps hung up the phone during a live interview when he was asked about losing his seat in the upcoming general election. A YouGov survey suggested the defence secretary could be voted out of parliament along with many of his Conservative colleagues. While presenting the polls’ results on Sky News on Monday (3 June) deputy political editor Sam Coates spotted Shapps was calling him. The camera kept rolling as Coates answered and said: “Hello Grant Shapps, you’re live on Sky News. “I’m in the studio with Sophy Ridge. Have you seen you’re about to lose your seat, according to the Sky News-YouGov projection?” There was a moment’s silence before the phone emitted a few beeps, meaning Shapps was no longer there.
Athena Stavrou3 June 2024 19:45 Newer1 / 11OlderDisclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
