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Genevieve Holl-Allen Political Correspondent |
As expected, Nigel Farage has secured an emphatic victory in the Clacton by-election.
The Reform UK leader, who refused to attend the count after saying the police had warned of a campaign to disrupt it, will be happy with a result which saw his majority and vote share increase.
Farage billed the by-election as a “people versus the establishment” contest.
The establishment, however, did not contest Clacton. Labour and the Tories refused to field a candidate in a contest they branded a farce.
Instead, the field was left to 33 novelty candidates. Farage’s main rival was a comedian called Count Binface, who secured 9,455 votes and comfortably held his deposit.
Count Binface, the novelty candidate and Farage’s main by-election rival, came second | Credit: Jack Taylor via Reuters |
Critics will be asking what this result really changes.
Now returned as Clacton MP, Farage will face the restart of two parliamentary investigations into his failure to declare properly donations from a Thai-based billionaire and from a close friend and convicted fraudster, George Cottrell, known as “Posh George”.
However, this result has allowed Farage some breathing space and put the leader back on the front foot against the “establishment” he has always argued is out to block his path to power.
If there is a second by-election as a result of the parliamentary investigation, Farage will claim he already has the backing of the only people that really matter to him, the voters.
Follow the latest updates here ➤
Annabel Denham: Farage’s risky gamble has paid off ➤
Tony Diver: Farage is back on top… for now – this analysis is available only to subscribers ➤ |
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Jeremy Warner Extreme weather and our heavy reliance on imports mean grocery bills will keep soaring Continue reading ➤
Sherelle Jacobs I watched a murderer finally sentenced to life. It’s an outrage he was ever on the streets Continue reading ➤
Michael Deacon Adult ‘Pottermaniacs’ are pathetic. It’s time they grew up Continue reading ➤ |
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Code Pink has organised protests in the UK against Britain’s involvement in Gaza |
China is suspected of funding pro-Palestine marches in Britain, The Telegraph can disclose. US politicians investigating alleged secret Chinese backing of Code Pink, a far-Left feminist protest group established in America, are examining its activities in Britain as part of an inquiry into foreign interference, writes Richard Holmes, our Forensic Investigations Editor.
The US investigation is examining £250,000 in alleged payments to a company linked to Code Pink in Britain from firms connected to Neville Roy Singham, a tech tycoon accused of financing Chinese propaganda around the world. For subscribers only ➤ |
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In the 1980s, writes Lynne Franks, I helped turn Harvey Nichols into London’s coolest department store, inspiring Absolutely Fabulous and enticing Princess Diana along the way. Since then, watching corporate boredom drain its soul – and trigger £178m in losses – has been heartbreaking. With the Knightsbridge icon now up for sale, here is my blueprint to bring back its magic. Continue reading ➤ |
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A once bustling street in Taipei is now empty as air raid sirens ring out |
It started with a text message saying a missile was incoming, writes Allegra Mendelson, our Asia Correspondent. The streets emptied as the air raid sirens blared. Then the internet went down. On Thursday, residents across northern Taiwan got a taste of what would happen if China launched an attack. I was on the ground to see how the country is preparing. Continue reading ➤ |
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Handsome, talented and with a piratical swagger, Thomas Straker became one of the biggest culinary hits of the pandemic, thanks to his appetising videos on Instagram. Success brought book deals, a butter company and physical restaurants, along with millions of followers. He has also flirted with tabloid notoriety. Ed Cumming caught up with him in New York, where he is preparing to open his first restaurant outside London, and found him in a surprisingly thoughtful mood. Continue reading ➤ |
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It’s easy to blame tiredness on a long week, or an aching back on getting older, but when should everyday symptoms be taken more seriously? Dr Anisha Patel knows better than most. As a busy mother and GP, she initially dismissed her constipation and fatigue before she was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer. Here, she reveals five symptoms you should never ignore and when it's time to see your doctor. Continue reading ➤ Here is another article you may find helpful this morning:
- At some point after the eclipse, many people will have reflected on the reality that there won’t be another one quite as good on British soil until 2081. Catch another totality using our destination guide.
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Australian writer-performer Hannah Reilly is putting on a one-woman confessional show |
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Dominic Cavendish Chief Theatre Critic |
Nudity seems to be making a comeback as the Edinburgh Fringe grows less prudish after the killjoy woke years. You expect risqué antics from comics, but Garry Starr, an Australian comic, takes the biscuit in Classic Penguins, nude throughout and even (eek!) crowd-surfing.
Theatre’s getting in on the act, too. At the hipster venue Summerhall the hot ticket is Roleplay, a breast-baring solo about a female podcaster trying to monetise sexual adventurism. Co-produced by Francesca Moody, whose credits include Fleabag, it’s brave (if muddled). I’m also about to see a revival of the American epic Angels in America, which promises/warns of nudity too.
Still, perhaps the most repellent sight I’ve seen so far is that notorious photo of Lord Mandelson in his Y-fronts featuring in Mandy, a brilliant new show about him, which has quite put me off my haggis.
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Tristram Fane Saunders |
Amanda Knox’s show was the most controversial at this year’s Fringe, until it opened and turned out to be a damp squib. For proof you can joke about tragedy, skip Knox and watch Frankie McNair, who heroically turns her childhood abuse into an hour of belly-laughs.
Meanwhile, in the Monkey Barrel’s basement, I spotted Mickey Flanagan chuckling at louche and cheeky “posh lad” Finlay Christie’s show about a wild night out in New Orleans that ended with him being robbed by two women. Out-out, indeed.
The biggest new face at this festival is papier-mâché: there’s enormous buzz about Basil Crumbwick, a kind of evil Frank Sidebottom. Only at the Fringe, eh?
Read Dominic and Tristram’s full Fringe guide ➤ |
A once-in-a-generation disappointmentEvery weekday, Orlando Bird, our loyal reader correspondent, shares an off-piste topic that has brought out the best of your opinions and stories. Orlando writes...
Well then: how was your eclipse? I was in Cornwall for the last one, in 1999, and my abiding memories are of clouds, and then, briefly, darker clouds. I had hoped there might be a little more spectacle, a little more drama, this time around.
During the event, I found myself standing by my kitchen window, wondering whether I was doing the right thing with my colander. Yes, yes, I briefly considered the vastness of the universe and my paltry insignificance within it, but I also found myself thinking: “Is that it, then? Might as well get started on dinner.”
Michael Banyard reported a similar sense of anticlimax in Somerset: “The solar eclipse was something of a non-event here. There was a faint dimming of the light but the sun was still bright in the West as we watched the passing of the moon filtered through a ‘colander’ of trees and projected on to our cottage. My wife and I dined in our garden with needless candle lanterns. Such is the power of the sun when less than 10 per cent is visible.”
According to Dianne Sandland, Devon was the place to be: “We had 96 per cent coverage, and I’m extremely lucky in that my bedroom window faces due West, with an almost unimpeded view of the horizon. So, with my special specs, I watched in comfort. It was far from disappointing.”
Another reader reflected: “I didn’t look directly at the sun as I didn't have certified-safe glasses, but I enjoyed the eerily changed light all around us. There was a definite ‘atmosphere’. Did it justify the hype? Not as much as a total eclipse would have, but it was nice to witness.”
Valerie Keeling, meanwhile, had what struck me as a very reasonable question: “You have reported that there was a surge in colander sales for viewing the eclipse. This means that many people don’t possess one. How do they drain their pasta?” How did you watch? Send your responses here, and the best of the bunch will feature in a future edition of this newsletter.
Please confirm in your reply that you are happy to be featured and that we have your permission to use your name. |
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1925 | The monument on Mount Rushmore is first proposed
1994 | Space telescope Hubble photographs Uranus with its rings
2013 | Violent clashes between police and protesters lead to the deaths of 638 people across Egypt (see our front page from the following day)
2016 | Usain Bolt becomes the first man to win the 100m Olympic gold three times
Birthdays: Mila Kunis (43), Adrian Lester (58), Halle Berry (60), Steve Martin (81)
Plus, in the news today, a luxury yacht has sunk days after it was delivered to its new owner. How much was it worth?
1. £3m
2. £4.5m
3. £5m
4. £6.8m
Click one of the options to reveal the answer... |
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Find as many words as you can in today’s Panagram, including the nine-letter solution. Visit Telegraph Puzzles to play a range of head-scratching games, including The 1% Club, Cogs, and Quick, Mini or Cryptic Crosswords.
Yesterday’s Panagram was ACTUALITY. Come back tomorrow for the solution to today’s puzzle. |
Please let me know what you think of this newsletter. You can email me your feedback at fromtheeditor@telegraph.co.uk.
Thank you for reading. Have a fulfilling day and I hope to see you tomorrow.
Chris Evans, Editor |
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