Britain's Reform UK leader Nigel Farage leaves Milbank Tower after he said he'll quit his Parliament seat and seek reelection in London, Tuesday, July 7, 2026. Nigel Farage has claimed he is being “treated like a war criminal” by his critics. The Reform UK made the astonishing remark while being interviewed by the party’s in-house podcast. He was speaking after he shocked Westminster last week by quitting as MP for Clacton to trigger a by-election in the seat. Farage claimed he was the victim of a “witch hunt” as he faces a parliamentary standards investigation over a £5 million gift from a Thailand-based crypto billionaire but did not declare. He could also face separate probes over support he received from convicted fraudster George Cottrell and lobbying he has done on cryptocurrency. On the podcast, he said calling the by-election was “the right thing to do”. “I think effectively I’m being treated like a war criminal,” he said. “It’s quite astonishing, and it’s like our mainstream media think we have to defer to them at all times, and I just don’t buy that. “You look at today’s press and they say he doesn’t want scrutiny. I don’t mind scrutiny, but I do mind illegally obtained information, I do mind computer hacking. I genuinely mind those things, and the intimidation of my family. “I just thought it had all reached such a frenzy that I had to do something.” The decision to trigger the by-election has backfired, though, after Labour, the Tories, the Lib Dems, Greens and Restore Britain all said they would not stand candidates in the contest. Instead, Farage faces a head-to-head battle with Count Binface. The Reform leader said: “I’ve done something positive. They wanted a by-election here. Well now they’ve got one and they don’t want to stand.” Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster. Related... Laura Kuenssberg Slaps Down Nadhim Zahawi Over Claim Farage Is Victim Of Westminster 'Pile-On' Nigel Farage's Approval Ratings Plummet Amid Row Over His Finances British Voters Want Count Binface To Beat Nigel Farage In Clacton By-Election