politics
Count Binface wins hearts, if not the election, in bid to defeat Trump ally Nigel Farage in U.K.
Updated on: August 14, 2026 / 1:59 PM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- Count Binface, a satirical candidate dressed as a trash can, secured 27% of the vote in a U.K. by-election against Nigel Farage.
- This was Binface's best electoral showing and the first time he earned back his deposit by exceeding the 5% vote threshold.
- The candidate, whose real identity is satirist Jonathan Harvey, runs on a platform of "taking out the trash."
- The by-election was triggered by Nigel Farage's resignation, and he won approximately 63% of the votes.
- Binface had previously competed against other prominent politicians like Theresa May, Boris Johnson, and Andy Burnham, receiving minimal votes.
- The election featured a record 34 candidates, contributing to a long paper ballot.