Nigel Farage says he ‘didn’t want to resign as MP’ but was ‘forced’

Craig Munro | Senior Politics Reporter Published August 12, 2026 9:27am Updated August 12, 2026 9:28am Nigel Farage blamed the ‘political establishment’ for the by-election he forced (Picture: EPA) Nigel Farage has claimed he never wanted to step down as Clacton’s MP and force a by-election – but the political establishment made him do it. Speaking to Metro ahead of tomorrow’s vote in the seat he held until his sensational resignation last month, the Reform leader set out his stall for Essex constituents. He said it had been ‘one of the greatest privileges of my life’ to spend two years as MP for Clacton, during which he had ‘stood up and spoken up for the people’. Farage added: ‘I did not want to resign as your MP and have this by-election. But the political establishment forced it upon m