A second by-election in Nigel Farage’s Clacton constituency could take place before Christmas, amid claims that a parliamentary investigation into whether he should have declared a £5m gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne is nearing its conclusion.
The Conservative Party expects to select its candidate for the seat by the end of the month, as it prepares for the possibility of a contest before Christmas. One senior party source said: “We will be ready.”
Daniel Greenberg, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, is expected to send his findings to the Commons Committee of Standards within days after Parliament returns next week, according to sources close to the inquiry.
Four things to do with your money before the Budget
With the Budget just around the corner, here’s what you need to consider about your finances before the Chancellor makes his speech.
What will be in the Budget?
Chancellor John Healey’s first Budget is weeks away, sparking speculation as to what Labour might do in terms of tax rises and spending cuts to balance the books.
But rather than trying to anticipate Healey’s announcements, experts say any financial moves beforehand – from maxing out allowances to investing – should make sense on their own merits.
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Where you could adjust your finances
Tax-free allowances
Allowance shifts are not expected, but make the most of the current £20k tax-free limit on ISAs and £60k for pensions.
A stocks and shares ISA might be worthy of consideration, as a long-term alternative to cash holdings.
Capital gains tax
The CGT exemption – currently up to £3k on asset profits – could be cut or reshaped. Make the most of it.
Review your financial plan
As the Chancellor puts his fiscal house in order, now is always a good time to check that your own finances are where you want them to be. Check whether your money could be moved into a higher-interest savings account or invested in stocks.
Financial advisor David Stirling said: “Ensuring life insurance, critical illness cover and income protection remain fit for purpose can be just as valuable as chasing the latest tax-saving opportunity.”
Spanish pensioner whose eviction sparked protests dies
An 87-year-old woman whose eviction from her Madrid home sparked protests over Spain’s housing crisis has died.
A ‘turning point’ in Spain
Images of Maricarmen Abascal being taken from her home of 70 years on a stretcher on 23 September led to nationwide protests as her case became emblematic of Spain’s lack of affordable housing.
Announcing her death, Madrid Tenants’ Union said Ms Abascal’s situation marked “a turning point in the history of this country”.
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What you need to know
- Ms Abascal was forced to leave her home after the company which owns her flat increased the rent to €2,650 (£2,280) – way above her monthly pension of €1,350.
- After her eviction, she was offered a lower rental rate but by then had been moved to hospital. Her death was announced on Wednesday.
- Protesters in central Madrid greeted news of the death with shock and anger. Banners read: “It’s not a death, it’s a killing.”
Housing crisis sparks election
Ms Abascal’s case has been a lightning rod for wider discontent in Spain at the country’s shortage of affordable housing amid rising eviction rates. Corruption scandals and immigration have also dogged prime minister Pedro Sánchez.
After Sánchez failed to pass emergency legislation aimed at alleviating some of the housing problems, he called an early election on Monday for 29 November. Opinion polls suggest Spanish conservatives will emerge as the largest party in the poll.
Why prostate cancer survival rates are improving
Prostate cancer cases in England have risen by 7 per cent in a year – but survival rates for men diagnosed with the advanced form of the disease have “steadily improved”, according to a study.
Risk from death falls
Researchers found that the risk of death from prostate cancer fell by almost a quarter (24 per cent) in just seven years between 2015 and 2022.
What you need to know
- The new National Prostate Cancer Audit found that 60,827 men were diagnosed with the disease in England in 2025 – up 7 per cent from 57,029 in 2024.
- Cases where the cancer had already spread to other parts of the body also rose from 5,696 in 2024 to 6,312 – an 11 per cent rise.
- But an audit of 45,000 advanced cases found the proportion of men who died within three years of diagnosis fell from 56 per cent in 2015 to 47 per cent in 2022.
Treatments and research improving survival rates
However, experts said further investment is needed. Natalia Norori, head of data at the charity, said: “Right now, far too many men get a diagnosis at a later stage when treatment options are more limited, and the fact that nearly half of men still die within three years remains a tragedy.”
Polls have opened in the race to replace Sir Keir Starmer as MP for Holborn and St Pancras.
What you need to know
- The Holborn and St Pancras seat, a long-standing Labour stronghold, became vacant after Sir Keir Starmer announced he was leaving Parliament to focus on a role in international affairs.
- Some 15 candidates are standing, but the contest is widely seen as a two-horse race between Green Party leader Zack Polanski and his Labour opponent Sagal Abdi-Wali.
- The Green leader does not currently have a seat in the House of Commons and has insisted the by-election is “looking close”.
Who are the candidates?
Polanski has faced scrutiny after his party passed a controversial motion asserting that “Zionism is racism”.
Camden Council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali is standing for the Labour Party.
Galloway is standing for the Workers Party of Britain, and is currently living overseas in what he describes as “self-exile”.
Greens challenge Labour’s seat
Polanski seeks to wrest the seat from Labour’s hands for the first time in 43 years.
The Greens have enjoyed a surge in popularity under Polanski, but Labour candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali is the bookies’ favourite to win.
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“We are refreshing our inboxes,” said one source, who expects to receive advance notice when the inquiry concludes.
Farage interviewed by watchdog
It follows reports that Farage was interviewed by the commissioner last month. According to , the Reform UK leader spent about 30 minutes answering questions about the money. Farage has maintained that the gift was intended to fund his personal security. He and Harborne both say they have done nothing wrong.
An interview with an MP under investigation would normally suggest that an inquiry is nearing its conclusion, although Reform UK is not believed to have been told that the report has been completed.
MPs under investigation are usually notified before the process formally ends.
If Greenberg finds that Farage committed a serious breach of the rules, the case will be referred to the Committee of Standards, which is made up of MPs and lay members. The committee can seek further evidence before either recommending a sanction or rejecting the findings.
If it recommends a suspension of more than 10 sitting days. and the Commons approves this, Farage could face a recall petition, potentially triggering another by-election in Clacton.
The prospect of a second contest comes just months after he won a by-election in August, after resigning his seat amid scrutiny over his financial affairs.
That election was boycotted by all the major Westminster parties, with Labour, the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Greens deciding not to field candidates. Farage won with 22,239 votes (63.3 per cent) while his nearest challenger was novelty candidate Count Binface, who took 9,455 votes (26.9 per cent).
This time, however, the major parties would be expected to take part, setting up a markedly different battle.
It is understood that Labour is considering whether to field a “paper candidate” – someone whose primary purpose would be to ensure the party has a presence on the ballot paper rather than to mount a fully resourced campaign to win the seat.
Such a move would leave the Conservatives with a clearer run.
Reform leader under investigation
Farage has been under investigation shortly after it was reported in April that Harborne had given him £5m before the 2024 general election.
The Reform leader initially said the money was an unconditional personal gift intended to help pay for his security.
He argued that he had not yet returned to Parliament when he received it and therefore did not have to declare it. He later described the money as a “reward” for his 27 years of campaigning for Brexit, while maintaining that it was an unconditional gift that he could spend as he wished.
However, parliamentary rules require new MPs to register their current financial interests and any registrable benefits, other than earnings, received in the 12 months before their election.
These must normally be registered within one month of taking office. Some personal gifts are exempt if they could not reasonably be thought to be related to an MP’s membership of the House or their parliamentary or political activities.
A separate internal Reform UK investigation has concluded that the party did not breach electoral law after senior officials were recorded by an undercover journalist discussing a potential route to securing foreign donations.
Farage’s senior aide, Dan Jukes, and the party’s head of policy, James Orr, both stood down pending the outcome of that inquiry. It found that neither man had done anything that constituted a breach of the law.
The undercover filming, carried out by Verbatim Investigations and broadcast by Channel 4 News, appeared to show the pair discussing a way around electoral law to secure foreign donations for the party, including one that would have totalled £500,000.
The Metropolitan Police is conducting a separate criminal investigation into Reform UK over allegations that it breached foreign funding laws. It is understood that the party will wait for the police investigation to conclude before deciding the futures of Jukes and Orr.