It looks like it will be Nige vs Count Binface, to the childish glee of every Radio 4 comedian and Remoaner on the internet. Well, I'm 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're getting one over on Farage but in truth they are grossly insulting the good people of Clacton, whose views and votes they clearly couldn't give a toss about. They are cruelly depriving these working-class seasiders of choice. It is obscene. ✍️ Brendan O’Neill Article | spectator.com/article/nigel-… | @spikedonline

@spectator You don't really understand democracy, do you? If a party chooses not to stand in an election, that is exercising their democratic right. Should the main parties be forced, in some way, to field a candidate? How is that in any way democratic?