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Giles Watling
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Giles Watling

Former Conservative MP for Clacton.

Last refreshed: 12 August 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

How big a majority did Farage need to beat to hold Clacton?

Background

Giles Watling served as Conservative MP for Clacton from 2017 until 2024, when he lost the seat to Reform UK's Nigel Farage on 27.9% against Farage's 46.2%, an 18.3-point margin. Before entering politics, Watling was a stage and television actor. He had earlier stood in Clacton's 2014 by-election, losing to Douglas Carswell after Carswell's defection from the Conservatives to UKIP. Watling's 2024 result remains the benchmark against which Farage's 13 August 2026 by-election majority is being measured.

Common Questions
How did Giles Watling do against Farage in Clacton in 2024?
Watling took 27.9% as the sitting Conservative MP, against Farage's 46.2%, an 18.3-point margin.Source: Press Association
What did Giles Watling do before politics?
Watling was a stage and television actor before becoming Clacton's Conservative MP in 2017.Source: Wikipedia
Source Material
What Clacton's history tells us about Farage's by-election chancesGiles Watling

Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 12 August 2026. Editorial standards.