politics
From Count Binface to Elmo: The British tradition of novelty candidates
Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage is set to walk away with the election in Clacton-on-Sea, where he is running without competition from any other mainstream party.
TL;DR
- Nigel Farage is running in Clacton-on-Sea with no mainstream party opposition, facing only the novelty candidate Count Binface.
- Count Binface, an alter ego of comedian Jon Harvey, has a two-point manifesto and is polling at 20%, with some points thinly veiled digs at Farage.
- The UK has a history of joke candidates, including the Official Monster Raving Loony Party, founded in 1982, and AI-powered candidate 'AI Steve'.
- Some novelty candidates, like the Elmo impersonator Bobby Smith, use their campaigns to raise awareness for personal causes, such as fathers' rights.
- Former Prime Minister Keir Starmer advised voters in Clacton-on-Sea to 'put your vote in the bin' when asked about a debate between Farage and Binface.