Tim Farron has called Nigel Farage’s resignation as an MP and decision to trigger a by-election in Clacton “self-indulgent” and “an embarrassment”.
Mr Farron, the Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, made the comments after Mr Farage announced on Tuesday his decision to stand down as the MP for Clacton following intense scrutiny over his finances.
The Reform UK leader’s decision has triggered a by-election for the seat, which he has said he will stand in.
Mr Farage said he will fight a “people versus the establishment” by-election as he faces an investigation by the House of Commons standards watchdog over an undeclared £5 million gift from Reform donor Christopher Harborne before he entered Parliament.
He has also faced intense scrutiny in recent days after allegations were published by The Sunday Times about his relationship with George Cotrell – aka ‘Posh George’ – a convicted criminal and crypto-gambler.
Mr Cottrell reportedly recruited and paid three staff to work on Mr Farage’s social media before the general election and has continued to allow him to use a five-storey Georgian property he rented near Buckingham Palace.
Reform UK has denied that any parliamentary rules had been broken over his relationship to Mr Cottrell and called the Sunday Times’ story ‘baseless’.
New MPs must register any gifts worth more than £300 they received in the previous 12 months before they are elected, except where the gift “could not be reasonably thought by others” to relate to their political activities.
Talking about Mr Farage’s announcement, Mr Farron called the Reform UK leader’s move “an absolute embarrassment and an insult to the British public”.
He added: “At a time when our country faces huge challenges on the cost of living, the NHS and so much more, it speaks volumes that Nigel Farage and Reform want to spend the next two months running a pointless, self-indulgent by-election campaign.
"What a complete waste of taxpayers’ money from a man who it would appear is desperate enough to do anything to get attention.”
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