British voters have once again denied Count Binface his chance at political power, handing a decisive victory instead to Reform U.K. leader Nigel Farage in a special parliamentary election.
Farage easily won Thursday’s election in Clacton, England, receiving 22,239 votes. But perhaps the more entertaining result came from Count Binface, the trash-can-costumed political character played by British comedian and writer Jon Harvey.
Binface finished with 9,455 votes — a surprisingly substantial showing in an election boycotted by Britain’s other major political parties. A total of 35,401 people voted, representing turnout of about 44%.
Farage triggered the election himself last month by resigning the parliamentary seat he had held since 2024 and immediately announcing plans to run for it again.
The unusual move came as Farage faces a parliamentary investigation into his failure to disclose a 5 million pound gift, worth about $6.7 million, received before the 2024 general election from British cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne.
Farage sought to use the election as a public referendum on the allegations, arguing that voters in his district should determine whether they continued to support him.
Britain’s other major parties declined to field candidates, dismissing the election as a political stunt designed to divert attention from the investigation.
That left Farage facing a collection of fringe and novelty candidates, with Count Binface emerging as his most memorable challenger.
Binface has become a familiar figure in British elections. The character, who wears a black-and-silver costume featuring a trash-can-shaped head, has previously run against prominent politicians, including former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
Farage’s victory returns him to Parliament as his Reform U.K. party attempts to build on gains made in recent local elections. Recent polls, however, have suggested the party’s national support has declined amid the controversy surrounding Farage.
Source: NYT