https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DakcXazFN5-\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==<\/a><\/p>The chattering classes are having a good old laugh at Nigel Farage. His triggering of a by-election in his own constituency of Clacton has descended into \u201cfarce\u201d, they crow. One by one the parties said they wouldn\u2019t stand in this \u201cstunt\u201d by the sea. Labour, the Lib Dems, the Tories, the Greens \u2013 all of them, in a tinny chorus of groupthink, washed their hands of the Clacton contest. It looks like it will be Nige vs Count Binface, to the childish glee of every Radio 4 comedian and Remoaner on the internet.<\/p>
Well, I\u2019m not laughing. I think the parties are behaving abominably. Their choreographed retreat smacks of moral cowardice. This is a collective abdication of the first duty of a party, which is to contest elections, to disseminate ideas, to try to win the hearts of voters. The parties think they\u2019re getting one over on Farage but in truth they are grossly insulting the good people of Clacton, whose views and votes they clearly couldn\u2019t give a toss about. They are cruelly depriving these working-class seasiders of choice. It is obscene.<\/p>
\u270d\ufe0f Brendan O'Neill<\/p>","url":"https:\/\/spinster.xyz\/objects\/e7d8e1d8-b78d-4d3d-b831-3da654549f71","status_net":{"notice_id":null}},"to":[{"objectType":"http:\/\/activitystrea.ms\/schema\/1.0\/collection","id":"http:\/\/activityschema.org\/collection\/public"}],"status_net":{"conversation":"tag:gnusocial.jp,2026-07-09:objectType=thread:nonce=6622280b2975849c","notice_info":{"local_id":"12865229","source":"ActivityPub"}},"published":"2026-07-09T14:54:34+00:00","provider":{"objectType":"service","displayName":"GNU social JP","url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/"},"verb":"post","url":"https:\/\/spinster.xyz\/objects\/e7d8e1d8-b78d-4d3d-b831-3da654549f71"}],"links":[{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/conversation\/6537342","rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html"}]}