Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Nigel Farage won Clacton. But did his unnecessary by-election actually make his political problems worse?
Farage beat Count Binface after calling an election that cost the public more than £200,000. The mainstream parties stayed away, Farage did not attend the count, and the parliamentary scrutiny of his finances that he hoped the election would negate has not disappeared.
But the bigger story is what happens next.
In this video, I ask whether Reform UK has already passed its peak. Farage has moved from insurgent outsider to parliamentary politician, bringing much greater scrutiny and demands for accountability.
At the same time, Rupert Lowe’s Restore movement is challenging Reform from further to the right. If Reform begins losing voters in that direction, does Farage moderate his politics, or does he follow them?
That question matters far beyond Reform.
Labour and the Conservatives have repeatedly responded to Farage by shifting their own positions rightwards. If the right fragments further, will they continue doing so? And could the Greens, Liberal Democrats, SNP and Plaid Cymru benefit from a political realignment?
Farage won Clacton. That much is certain. What his victory means for the future of British politics is anything but clear.
Take a look at our poll below: youtube.com/post/Ugkx-wkl_lbmlI_NSel1u8f7u0xEOkOYWN3V
00:00 The Clacton By-Election Explained
00:53 Has Reform Already Peaked?
02:04 Is the Political Right Fragmenting?
03:11 Could Farage Move Further Right?
04:19 How Will Labour and the Conservatives Respond?
05:26 Is British Politics Being Realigned?
06:37 The Risks of Reform’s Weakness
07:48 Where Do the Mainstream Parties Stand?
08:40 What Happens Next?
TRANSCRIPT
A transcript for this video is available at: taxresearch.org.uk
IF YOU WANT TO WRITE TO YOUR MP ABOUT ISSUES IN THIS VIDEO
If you want to write a letter to your MP on the issues raised in this blog post, there is a ChatGPT prompt to assist you in doing so, with full instructions, here. taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/06/20/chatgpt-prompt-for-a-letter-to-your-mp
HOW TO SUPPORT US
Please consider donating: ko-fi.com/taxresearch
ABOUT RICHARD MURPHY
Richard Murphy is Emeritus Professor of Accounting Practice at Sheffield University Management School. He is director of Tax Research LLP and the author of the Funding the Future blog. His best-known book is ‘The Joy of Tax’.
This video was edited by Thomas Murphy.
RICHARD MURPHY ON BLUESKY:
https://bsky.app/profile/richardjmurphy.bsky.social
OR
ON MY BLOG: taxresearch.org.uk/Blog
HIT SUBSCRIBE & GET NOTIFICATIONS
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INTRODUCTION: youtube.com/watch?v=HdHsRPy3060
PLAYLISTS:
The Wealth Series
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgobQLeyZYAagFDMjEFTKbhRD
Ecenomics
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgob54Gs-fOL-8OAQ-IpduwB4
Britain
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgobwTT4ATvJjsf8OO6S7wD10
Tax
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoaMni_12J6ULp3yUJisUZoY
MMT
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoZ6jvRGSW5YXu8qogE6aClX
Money
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoYnLk1c7syTvoIo8bKYUs5m
Climate Change
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgob4_wsYaVivWd2WumpPLYwJ
USA
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoYYd3dSyU2Oyl3x7bWJOP7H
Labour
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoa-KhzG-fnjDSg1WROL1zMw
The Trump Administration
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgobz41-GLimTho27A3flVWQx
#NigelFarage #ReformUK #Clacton #UKPolitics #BritishPolitics #Politics
Nigel Farage won Clacton. But did his unnecessary by-election actually make his political problems worse?
Farage beat Count Binface after calling an election that cost the public more than £200,000. The mainstream parties stayed away, Farage did not attend the count, and the parliamentary scrutiny of his finances that he hoped the election would negate has not disappeared.
But the bigger story is what happens next.
In this video, I ask whether Reform UK has already passed its peak. Farage has moved from insurgent outsider to parliamentary politician, bringing much greater scrutiny and demands for accountability.
At the same time, Rupert Lowe’s Restore movement is challenging Reform from further to the right. If Reform begins losing voters in that direction, does Farage moderate his politics, or does he follow them?
That question matters far beyond Reform.
Labour and the Conservatives have repeatedly responded to Farage by shifting their own positions rightwards. If the right fragments further, will they continue doing so? And could the Greens, Liberal Democrats, SNP and Plaid Cymru benefit from a political realignment?
Farage won Clacton. That much is certain. What his victory means for the future of British politics is anything but clear.
Take a look at our poll below: youtube.com/post/Ugkx-wkl_lbmlI_NSel1u8f7u0xEOkOYWN3V
00:00 The Clacton By-Election Explained
00:53 Has Reform Already Peaked?
02:04 Is the Political Right Fragmenting?
03:11 Could Farage Move Further Right?
04:19 How Will Labour and the Conservatives Respond?
05:26 Is British Politics Being Realigned?
06:37 The Risks of Reform’s Weakness
07:48 Where Do the Mainstream Parties Stand?
08:40 What Happens Next?
TRANSCRIPT
A transcript for this video is available at: taxresearch.org.uk
IF YOU WANT TO WRITE TO YOUR MP ABOUT ISSUES IN THIS VIDEO
If you want to write a letter to your MP on the issues raised in this blog post, there is a ChatGPT prompt to assist you in doing so, with full instructions, here. taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/06/20/chatgpt-prompt-for-a-letter-to-your-mp
HOW TO SUPPORT US
Please consider donating: ko-fi.com/taxresearch
ABOUT RICHARD MURPHY
Richard Murphy is Emeritus Professor of Accounting Practice at Sheffield University Management School. He is director of Tax Research LLP and the author of the Funding the Future blog. His best-known book is ‘The Joy of Tax’.
This video was edited by Thomas Murphy.
RICHARD MURPHY ON BLUESKY:
https://bsky.app/profile/richardjmurphy.bsky.social
OR
ON MY BLOG: taxresearch.org.uk/Blog
HIT SUBSCRIBE & GET NOTIFICATIONS
Subscribe and get notified of new videos released.
INTRODUCTION: youtube.com/watch?v=HdHsRPy3060
PLAYLISTS:
The Wealth Series
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgobQLeyZYAagFDMjEFTKbhRD
Ecenomics
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgob54Gs-fOL-8OAQ-IpduwB4
Britain
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgobwTT4ATvJjsf8OO6S7wD10
Tax
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoaMni_12J6ULp3yUJisUZoY
MMT
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoZ6jvRGSW5YXu8qogE6aClX
Money
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoYnLk1c7syTvoIo8bKYUs5m
Climate Change
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgob4_wsYaVivWd2WumpPLYwJ
USA
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoYYd3dSyU2Oyl3x7bWJOP7H
Labour
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoa-KhzG-fnjDSg1WROL1zMw
The Trump Administration
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgobz41-GLimTho27A3flVWQx
#NigelFarage #ReformUK #Clacton #UKPolitics #BritishPolitics #Politics
