![\"Nigel](\"https:\/\/dailybusinessgroup.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Nigel-Farage-and-Malcolm-Offerd-website.png\")
Reform\u2019s leadership in Scotland is standing firmly behind Nigel Farage, who has resigned as an MP to fight allegations that he broke rules by accepting financial gifts.<\/p>\n
Scottish leader Malcolm Offord and his deputy Thomas Kerr have given the party leader their \u201cunequivocal backing\u201d and praised his decision to put his record directly before the electorate.<\/p>\n
Mr Farage announced in a video statement that he will contest a by-election in his Clacton-on-Sea constituency in order to clear his name.<\/p>\n
He said a report in The Sunday Times<\/em> published at the weekend is \u201cwholly inaccurate\u201d and that he has \u201cfinancially done well\u201d, adding that \u201cmaking money is not a crime\u201d.<\/p>\n He has also alleged that the investigation into him by the parliamentary standards watchdog is \u201cbeing used as a political tool\u201d.<\/p>\n Mr Farage said that the \u00a35m gift from Christopher Harborne at the centre of one investigation will fund the security he believes he needs for the rest of his life. <\/p>\n \u201cI am the most physically and verbally attacked public figure or politician of modern times,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve decided that the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that is why I will be putting my name forward to stand in this by-election. I will fight to win. I will fight to continue the political revolution that Reform has started.\u201d<\/p>\n Calling it a \u201cpeople versus the establishment\u201d by-election, his announcement once again upstaged the Prime Minister who is in Turkey for the Nato summit.<\/p>\n The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards opened an investigation into the Reform UK leader in May, for allegedly failing to properly declare the \u00a35m donation.\u00a0 Mr Farage has insisted the gift was before he became an MP.<\/p>\n His decision to call a by-election has triggered a range of responses, including a damning comment from Rupert Lowe who leads rival right wing party Restore and will hope to benefit from any damage caused to Reform.<\/p>\n \u201cThe people of Clacton do not need a media circus descending on their town over a busy tourist season because their MP has made a series of bad decisions,\u201d said Mr Lowe.<\/p>\n \u201cHe should have declared that five million pounds. He knows it. We all know it. Now he is going to weaponise a by-election to distract from that.<\/p>\n \u201cI will be making an announcement later today about Restore Britain\u2019s plans for the Clacton by-election.\u201d<\/p>\n Others claimed it was a publicity stunt and some parties may not contest the by-election which Reform wants to hold as early as next month. This would see Mr Farage stealing headlines just as Andy Burnham becomes Prime Minister.<\/p>\n In Scotland, Mr Offord said: \u201cLet us be absolutely clear.\u00a0 We stand four-square behind Nigel Farage.\u00a0 In a democracy, the final verdict belongs to voters.\u00a0 Nigel has chosen not to hide behind process or allow others to define the argument.\u00a0 He is going back to Clacton, facing the public directly, and asking them to decide.<\/p>\n \u201cMillions of people across Britain feel shut out by a political class that too often talks over them.\u00a0 They want representatives who are prepared to stand in front of voters, answer difficult questions and accept the judgment of the ballot box.\u00a0 That is exactly what Nigel Farage is doing.\u201d<\/p>\n Deputy Leader Mr Kerr added: \u201cNigel Farage has our full and unequivocal support.\u00a0 Politics should be settled by voters, not by Westminster games or media campaigns.\u00a0 He has taken the strongest possible course.\u00a0 He is putting his mandate back in the hands of the people who elected him.<\/p>\n \u201cThis campaign must now be won the best way.\u00a0 Street by street, door by door, conversation by conversation.\u00a0 Voters respect politicians who turn up, make the case and trust the public to decide.\u201d<\/p>\n \t <\/div>\n![\"Lord](\"https:\/\/dailybusinessgroup.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Offord-and-Farage-for-website.png\")