UK's Nigel Farage quits as MP after scrutiny over his finances, to contest bypoll

Nigel Farage said he would resign as an MP to trigger a by-election and contest it again. He cast the vote as a test of support amid scrutiny over his finances and claims of establishment pressure.

In Short

• Farage announced the move after a televised statement on Tuesday
• He accused the press of intruding into his family life
• Farage said the political establishment was trying to hinder Reform UK

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said on Tuesday he would quit as a lawmaker to trigger a by-election in his parliamentary seat and would stand for re-election in that vote.

Farage made the announcement at the end of a televised statement in which he railed against press intrusion into his family life and said the political establishment was doing all it could to hinder his party.

"This will be a people versus the establishment by-election," Farage said. "I will fight to win. I will fight to continue the political revolution that Reform has started."

Farage, who has come under heavy scrutiny over his finances in recent months, said he wanted his constituents to decide if they still wanted him to be their lawmaker.

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