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Labour and the Conservatives said the result of the Clacton by-election would not draw a line under the saga surrounding donations received by Nigel Farage.
Polls closed at 10pm in the election which has been shunned by the other major political parties, with Mr Farage hoping to retain his seat.
A record 34 candidates are standing. Satirical candidate Count Binface appears to Mr Farage’s main challenger.
Labour’s chair Bridget Phillipson said Mr Farage “can’t run from the truth forever”.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Conservative Party said the “stunt” of calling the by-election would not draw a line under it.
The Reform UK leader quit as an MP to trigger the by-election in protest at media and parliamentary scrutiny of donations from his backers.
Mr Farage said it was a chance to “stick two fingers up to the establishment”.
Ms Phillipson said: “Nigel Farage spent 38 days fighting a bin in his most desperate attempt yet to deflect attention from the sleaze and scandals engulfing him and his Party.
“Farage may succeed in his run-off against a bin, but he can’t run from the truth forever. The list of unanswered questions about the £5 million gift he hid from the public, his support from a convicted fraudster, and the mountain of other scandals he and Reform are facing isn’t going away.
“In fact, it’s getting longer by the day.
“It’s time to stop the excuses and desperate distractions and finally come clean with the public. If Farage has nothing to hide, he surely would have done so by now.”
A Conservative Party Spokesman said: “Nigel Farage called this fake by-election in a desperate attempt to draw a line under the questions surrounding his fishy £5 million donation.
“Whatever the outcome on Friday, this stunt has not done that.”