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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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
A record 34 candidates are standing. Satirical candidate Count Binface appears to Mr Farage\u2019s main challenger.<\/p>\n
Labour\u2019s chair Bridget Phillipson said Mr Farage \u201ccan\u2019t run from the truth forever\u201d.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Conservative Party said the \u201cstunt\u201d of calling the by-election would not draw a line under it.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Mr Farage said it was a chance to \u201cstick two fingers up to the establishment\u201d.<\/p>\n
Ms Phillipson said: \u201cNigel 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cFarage may succeed in his run-off against a bin, but he can\u2019t run from the truth forever. The list of unanswered questions about the \u00a35 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\u2019t going away.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn fact, it\u2019s getting longer by the day.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Conservative Party Spokesman said: \u201cNigel Farage called this fake by-election in a desperate attempt to draw a line under the questions surrounding his fishy \u00a35 million donation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhatever the outcome on Friday, this stunt has not done that.\u201d<\/p>\n