Nigel Farage faces Count Binface in Clacton by-election
In a special parliamentary by-election in Clacton, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage will contest against a record 34 candidates, including satirical figure Count Binface, after resigning his seat to trigger the vote.
A by-election for the Clacton constituency is being held on Thursday, with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage seeking to regain the seat he vacated last month. Farage, who stepped down amid an investigation into a £5 million donation, framed the contest as a "people versus the establishment" vote.
The ballot features an unprecedented 34 candidates, ranging from the Official Monster Raving Loony Party to the single-issue Everyone is God Party, and includes Count Binface, a satirical candidate who dresses as a space-alien figure.
"The repeated candidacies are aimed at promoting the beauties of Britain’s centuries-old democracy where even the most high-profile politicians are above no one," the candidate said.
Turnout is expected to be low, given the summer holidays and a heatwave, and the ballot paper will be unusually long due to the number of names. In the July 2024 general election, Farage won 46.2% of the vote in Clacton with a 58.7% turnout.
If Farage is re-elected, the parliamentary standards investigation into the undeclared donation could resume, potentially leading to a recall petition and another by-election. The result is slated for early Friday morning.