People living in Nigel Farage’s constituency have shared contrasting feelings of frustration and support after he resigned as their local MP.

The Reform UK leader triggered a by-election earlier, but vowed to fight to regain his now vacated Clacton seat in Essex when voters returned to the polls.

It comes amid a row over his financial support, after the Sunday Times reported he had not declared benefits and questions were raised about a £5m gift.

Graham Smith pledged to vote for Farage again, alleging there had been a campaign against him.

“Everybody who can is trying to poison the political atmosphere against him,” said Smith, speaking on Connaught Avenue in Frinton.

“I think he’s a breath of fresh air in politics and I really don’t care if he’s got six houses, after all that’s gone on in the Labour party and the Tory party in the past.”

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Memmzy Ozy, a barber in Frinton, said: “He’s alright, you know. I trust Nigel. Hopefully he’ll be the winner.”

The 31-year-old said he agreed with Farage’s policies on illegal immigration.

Dean Gardiner, who owns a shoe shop on Connaught Avenue, said: “Perhaps [the by-election] will straighten things out and the public will either show their support or they won’t.

“I think more people will vote for him, I certainly will.”

However, 18-year-old Frankie Ashworth, from Clacton, said she disagreed with the Reform UK leader on most subjects.

“I don’t really want my child to grow up in a country with Nigel Farage being a politician,” she said.

“I hope the local people aren’t stupid enough to vote him back in and no, I definitely won’t be voting for him.”

Denise Webb, a 61-year-old who works as a support worker in the area, accused Farage of being “biased”, “negative” and “not a very nice man”.

She added: “His idea of getting [illegal immigrants] out is not going to work because who’s going to fill all of those places?

“I hope that people will actually look at what they’re voting for this time.”

Callers to BBC Essex have also been having their say.

Mark, from Jaywick, said: “All we hear all the time is promises, promises, promises. They get elected, they get placed in Parliament… And nothing ever happens.

“We watched this space, we live in this space and he hasn’t done nothing.”

Clacton-on-Sea resident Ted added: “I quite like the bloke, but if he’s going to do what he’s done now [again], you think what’s the point of voting him in again?”

He questioned if it was a popularity contest for Farage, adding: “It’s just a very, very strange decision.”

A spokesman for Tendring District Council confirmed that Farage had offered to cover the cost of the by-election.

But they added: “General election (and parliamentary by-election) costs are covered by central government, so it is a matter for them.”

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