Reform UK leader Nigel Farage announced his resignation from the House of Commons on Tuesday to contest a byelection in Clacton-on-Sea, a move seen as an attempt to sidestep a parliamentary inquiry into an undisclosed £5 million donation.
The surprise resignation came just hours after The Guardian revealed that the £5 million gift from a cryptocurrency billionaire had been reported to the National Crime Agency (NCA) by bankers who suspected money laundering.
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Farage, who was given a deadline of 1pm Tuesday to respond to The Guardian's questions, instead delivered a video address at 2pm declaring he would force a byelection in his seat.
Political Rivals Condemn Byelection Stunt
Opposition parties strongly criticized the resignation, characterizing it as an attempt to evade accountability.
Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokesperson Lisa Smart said the byelection was a desperate protective measure. "The wheels are completely coming off the Farage bandwagon.
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His stunt today is a desperate last ditch attempt from a man who knows the game is up," Smart stated.
She urged all parties to refuse to stand in the byelection, allowing parliamentary authorities to complete their probe into Farage's financial dealings.
Major political rivals quickly announced they would not contest the byelection, potentially leaving novelty candidate Count Binface as Farage's primary opponent.
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The Reform UK leader is awaiting a decision by the standards commissioner over whether his failure to declare the £5 million breached parliamentary rules.
