NIGEL FARAGE ran scared after winning the Clacton by-election yesterday as a parliamentary probe into the Reform UK leader’s £5 million gift from a crypto-billionaire resumed.

Mr Farage was announced the winner shortly after 6am with 22,239 votes, with Count Binface – the self-styled intergalactic space warrior persona of comedian Jon Harvey – in second place on 9,455 votes.

Mr Farage, however, did not attend the official count for the by-election after Reform UK claimed that he had been advised by police to stay away due to a “credible threat” against him.

Essex Police said that there were “no incidents or issues” in relation to the contest on Thursday or overnight and that decisions on whether to attend the declaration were for individual candidates and their security teams.

Asked about the difference between disruption and “credible threat,” Reform chief whip Lee Anderson told the BBC that he had not spoken to his party leader about the issue but said: “I believe Nigel above the police.”

The probe into the alleged failure to register an interest was suspended after Mr Farage triggered the contest by resigning amid scrutiny over his and the party’s finances.

But it is now automatically running again after Mr Farage was returned as MP for Clacton in a race boycotted by the other main Westminster parties, who dismissed it as a political stunt.

Labour, the Tories and the Liberal Democrats said his victory would not draw a line under the controversy over the money he received from Thai-based Reform donor Christopher Harborne before he was first elected to the Essex seat in 2024.

Under Commons rules, new MPs are required to register any gifts worth more than £300 they received in the previous 12 months, except where it “could not be reasonably thought by others” to relate to their political activities.

Mr Farage has said the gift was not political and insisted he has done nothing wrong.

The party leader could also face an investigation over support provided by convicted fraudster George Cottrell, a long-term ally.

If he is found to have broken the rules and a suspension of more than 10 days is imposed, it could trigger a recall petition and the prospect of Mr Farage facing a second by-election.

Mr Anderson insisted that the “slate is wiped clean” in Clacton after the Reform leader was returned to his seat, but that the party would “of course” co-operate with the probe into Mr Harborne’s gift.

Mr Farage won a 12,784 majority, 62.82 per cent of the vote.

This is up from his 8,405-vote majority, 46.2 per cent, he won at the 2024 general election, though turnout fell by just over 14 per cent to 44.37 per cent. Thirty-two of the record 34 candidates lost their deposits.