The State of It: Farage wins Clacton – but his £5m headache remains

Nigel Farage has done the inevitable and defeated Count Binface in the Clacton by-election. To celebrate, Reform threw a gigantic Glastonbury-style festival on Clacton beach. Farage-fest 2026 featured disco, live music and even a Ferris wheel. But during his victory speech, Farage admitted for the first time that he may have made a mistake by failing to declare the £5m gift he received from Christopher Harborne. Now, just hours after his victory, the parliamentary standards watchdog has resumed its investigation into the Reform leader. So, after the Ferris wheel and the fanfare, what next for the embattled Farage?Hosts:Steven Swinford, political editor, The TimesLara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday TimesProducers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry KitsonPicture: Getty imagesThis podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.