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Binface Britain? What Clacton candidate has pledged

Novelty candidate, so far, the only challenger to Nigel Farage for Essex seat

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Count Binface, a candidate in Britain's upcoming general election, poses for photographers during the Glastonbury Festival in Worthy Farm, Somerset, England, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)
Count Binface is, so far, the only challenger to Nigel Farage. Picture: Alamy

By William Mata

With all major parties vowing not to stand a candidate to challenge Nigel Farage in the upcoming Clacton by-election, novelty politician Count Binface is, so far, Reform's only opposition.

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Mr Farage resigned as Clacton MP on Tuesday, forcing a by-election in the Essex constituency, which he pledged to stand in.

He hailed the vote as a "people versus the establishment" referendum after angrily hitting out at the scrutiny he has been under for accepting a £5m personal donation from the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.

A date for the vote has been mooted for August, although Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has called on the Chancellor to not accept his resignation.

Mr Farage is currently undergoing a probe into his finances, which would be suspended during a by-election and then begin again upon a potential return to the Commons.

Labour, the Conservatives, the Lib Dems, the Green Party, and Restore Britain have all said they will not engage in what Sir Keir Starmer has called a "stunt" to distract from the probe into Reform leader's finances.

This leaves comedian Jonathan Harvey as the only declared candidate to rival Mr Farage, and will run as his creation Count Binface.

Here is what Binface Britain would look like.

Read also: How much will Clacton by-election cost?

Labour's Andy Burnham stands beside candidate Count Binface for the Makerfield by-election
Labour's Andy Burnham stands beside candidate Count Binface for the Makerfield by-election. Picture: Alamy

What are Count Binface's policies if he won Clacton by-election?

Count Binface has not published a Clacton manifesto, but his policies for becoming Makerfield MP were to:

  • Restore Ceefax,
  • Price-cap croissants,
  • Build at least one affordable house,
  • Rename HS2 to FFS1.

Past pledges have also included:

  • Banning loud snacks from theatres,
  • London joining the European Union,
  • Nationalising Adele,
  • Sending £1 trillion a week to the NHS.

The Count has always pledged to celebrate democracy with his antics, while also poking fun at politicians.

He said: "These are strange and dangerous times. There are forces inside and outside the United Kingdom that are actively trying to degrade or even destroy the democratic process. And they must not be allowed to succeed. Voters need to fight back.

"In the UK, you can vote for whoever you want, and you can even stand for election no matter what you believe and no matter how ludicrous you might look. That’s amazing."