Count Binface receives over a quarter of votes in Clacton by-election

Aug 14, 2026 11:45 PM - 1 day ago 1

12 hours ago

Jennifer McKiernanPolitical reporter

Getty Images A man pinch a bin connected his caput poses triumphantly extracurricular a elephantine solid window. The bin is metallic pinch a slit trim retired for his eyes and a quadrate clasp for his mouth. He besides wears achromatic gloves, a achromatic breastplate, knee and elbow guards, and a agelong metallic cape.

Count Binface, the self-styled intergalactic abstraction warrior, has received astir 10,000 votes successful the Clacton by-election, his champion capacity yet.

Farage has re-won his seat, receiving much than 22,000 votes successful Clacton, connected the Essex coast.

Binface received 26.9% of the ballot while Farage won 63.3%. Binface had his highest stock yet pinch 9,455 votes, having mislaid to nary less than 3 premier ministers, and 1 who later became premier minister, successful erstwhile attempts.

But really galore votes has he antecedently received? And wherever does he fresh into the British contented of spoofing politicians?

2017: May the unit beryllium pinch you

Getty Images A statement of candidates tin beryllium seen connected shape astatine the predetermination count. Theresa May is connected the acold near of astatine slightest 9 candidates connected stage. She wears a agleam reddish skirt suit and matching precocious heels, pinch her grey hairsbreadth successful a neat bob. She has her hands clasped connected beforehand of her and is smiling wryly. Lord Buckethead is connected the acold near of the statement of candidates and is doing a dab. He wears a ample achromatic bucket connected his head, pinch achromatic armour and a achromatic cape pinch a sliver lining.

The man wrong the bin is the comedian Jon Harvey, an Oxford postgraduate who has specialised successful satire, penning scripts for BBC drama shows The Thick of It and Have I Got News For You.

He first donned a bin connected his caput to guidelines for predetermination successful 2017, erstwhile he challenged the past Prime Minister Theresa May successful her Maidenhead constituency, though backmost past he was known arsenic Lord Buckethead, a characteristic inspired by a Star Wars parody film.

He won 249 votes and viral fame, starring to an quality connected John Oliver's HBO show Last Week Tonight - arsenic good arsenic a ineligible conflict pinch different Lord Buckethead he described astatine the clip arsenic "an unpleasant conflict connected the satellite Copyright".

2019: The bin takes connected Boris Johnson

Getty Images Boris Johnson is successful the centre of the photo, wearing a achromatic suit pinch a ray bluish garment and a reddish spotted tie. Behind him to the correct is Count Binface, wearing a ample metallic bin connected his caput and a metallic cape. On his correct is simply a man dressed arsenic the fuzzy reddish Sesame Street characteristic Elmo.

Harvey recovered himself a different bin to screen his caput and switched characters to Count Binface to return connected the adjacent Conservative leader, Boris Johnson, announcing himself arsenic the leader of the Recyclons from satellite Sigma IX.

He only won 69 votes, but was again capable to return his spot connected shape arsenic the predetermination consequence was declared alongside a sitting premier minister, who was besides flanked by a campaigner dressed arsenic the Sesame Street characteristic Elmo, astatine his Uxbridge predetermination count.

2024: Sunak takes retired the trash

Getty Images Rishi Sunak is opinionated connected shape successful beforehand of a agleam purple backdrop pinch the motto sojourn North Yorkshire. He is connected the near of the photograph, giving a reside astatine a podium, pinch different candidates lined up to his right. Count Binface is opinionated connected the correct of the shape successful his costume.

A 3rd Conservative leader, Rishi Sunak, was successful Count Binface's sights successful the 2024 wide predetermination campaign.

He sewage 308 votes, which astatine the clip was his champion result.

The Monster Raving Loony Party's candidate, Sir Archibald Stanton, received 99 votes - 0.2% of the ballot share.

2026: Burnham courts the Count

Getty Images Burnham is successful the centre of the photograph, wearing a achromatic suit complete a achromatic t-shirt, and shaking hands pinch Count Binface connected his left. To his correct is simply a man dressed arsenic a fox, holding a placard reference Protect British Wildlife.

In June this year, it was Andy Burnham's move to look Binface successful the by-election that paved the measurement for the past Greater Manchester Mayor to go premier minister.

Rather than studiously ignoring the intergalactic warlord, arsenic immoderate whitethorn person been tempted to do, Burnham shook him warmly by the manus arsenic he was elected Labour MP for Makerfield.

Binface bagged conscionable 95 votes to Burnham's 24,927.

2026: The Bin's champion consequence yet

While Nigel Farage won the Clacton by-election connected Friday morning, Count Binface came second.

The Reform UK leader sewage 22,239 while Count Binface received 9,455. The intergalactic abstraction warrior celebrated the number pinch his accustomed 2 bid motion fingers.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast after, Binface said: "I promised to beryllium a section champion for Clacton and I thought to perceive the verdict of the Clactonites was the slightest I could do."

A awesome British tradition?

The UK has a rich | history of novelty candidates opinionated successful elections, pinch Monster Raving Loony Party laminitis Screaming Lord Sutch - a stone musician who fought much than 40 elections successful his trademark apical chapeau and golden lame suit - first opinionated successful a by-election successful the 1960s. A different Lord Buckethead stood successful 1987 and 1992, while comedian Al Murray's pub landlord stood against Farage successful 2015.

Objections to specified "frivolous" candidates day backmost moreover further - to 1918, erstwhile a £150 deposit was introduced for candidates. That was later upped to £500, successful 1985, successful ample portion owed to the fame of the Monster Raving Loony Party.

BBC/ Willie Smith Screaming Lord Sutch of the Monster Raving Loony Party, astatine their 1990 statement conference. He wears a leapoard tegument suit pinch a matching leopardskin apical chapeau and is sitting astride an orangish spacehopper. He is wearing respective elephantine yellowish and achromatic rosettes and carries a aureate loudhailer, each pinch the motto Vote Lord Sutch. He is surrounded by a group of supporters besides riding spacehoppers successful a car park.

But the barroom for introduction remains reasonably low: anyone complete the property of 18 who tin scrape together a £500 deposit and get support from 10 group successful the shape of signatures is allowed to guidelines arsenic a campaigner successful UK elections.

That's why Count Binface has been capable to guidelines successful truthful galore high-profile elections. He has, however, mislaid his £500 each time, aft failing to meet the minimum 5% of votes formed successful bid for his deposit to beryllium returned.

Yet Binface has had his infinitesimal successful the spotlight each time.

That is because different British contented intends each predetermination candidates must guidelines side-by-side connected a shape astatine the predetermination count to perceive really galore votes they person each received - it's a literal leveller, wherever everyone from premier minsters to a bloke dressed arsenic a bin has the correct to beryllium seen and heard arsenic an charismatic candidate.

But each of these no-hope novelty candidates stock a fewer superior aims: to flick nosy astatine power, prick the pomposity of governmental elites, and let group a protestation vote.