Reform UK leader Nigel Farage claims Clacton on his eighth attempt

Leader of Reform UK, Nigel Farage, celebrates his victory of the Clacton-on-Sea seat. It is at the eighth attempt that Farage has been elected as a member of the parliament. His electoral breakthrough comes as his party Reform UK gains significantly more votes than the Conservatives in some seats.

Farage calls his win "the first step of something that is going to stun all of you". Apart from Clacton, Reform UK secured Boston and Skegness with chairman Richard Tice, while Rupert Lowe secured Great Yarmouth. Lee Anderson claimed the seat of Ashfield, becoming the party’s first-ever MP.

Farage is a pro-Brexit campaigner and has been an influential player during Britain's decision to exit the European Union. He joined the election race a month ago, which stunned the Conservatives, who are already behind the left-wing Labour Party.

“We are coming for Labour,” Farage announced as the Reform contested to win 13 seats in the UK's general election. He believes Reform's performance in the election has so far been remarkable.

Farage has now become an elected member of parliament. He previously secured the seat of Clacton in Essex in 2016, winning 46 per cent of the votes.

“There is a massive gap on the centre-right of British politics and my job is to fill it, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do,” Farage said in his speech after his victory.

For seven years he had been trying to win in Westminster but had failed. This term will mark as a testing ground for his ability to stay true to his promises made to voters.

“My plan is to build a mass national movement over the course of the next few years and hopefully be big enough to challenge the general election properly in 2029,” said Farage on winning the seat.