Polls open in Clacton, where Farage spent more than £10,000 in byelection against Count Binface – UK politics live

Why This Matters

Key context: <p>The Reform UK leader resigned as the MP for Clacton at the start of July and forced a byelection</p><p>Yesterday <strong>Michael Shanks</strong>, a UK energy minister, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/aug/12/andy-burnham-early-prisoner-release-cobra-meeting-heatwave-climate-crisis-labour-conservatives-reform-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6a7c2f338f08bd3e82541d2d#block-6a7c2f338f08bd3e82541d2d">criticised John Swinney</a>, the SNP Scottish first miniser, for trying to get Andy Burnham to lift a ban on the Chinese firm Ming Yang building a wind turbine factory in the Highlands.</p><p>Today <strong>Stephen Gethins</strong>, energy minister in the Scottish government, defended his boss. In an interview on BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme, Gethins said:</p><p>The first minister is right to ask about this. This is 1,500 jobs in the north of Scotland. It’s also an area that is being transformed by that move towards offshore renewables, Scotland continuing to contribute.</p><p>It’s an area which is, in general terms, important for security. Scotland is contributing to European energy security, which is a concern across Europe when you speak to leaders there.</p><p>Why should I be judged, today or in history in the future, by Sky News and their ilk? Why should they be the people that decide my fate when, as I repeat, I’ve done nothing wrong.</p><p>I’m being judged as being guilty every single day by newspapers, broadcasters and elsewhere.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/aug/13/clacton-byelection-nigel-farage-count-binface-reform-latest-news-updates">Continue reading...</a> This development from The Guardian highlights ongoing changes in the sector.