Nigel Farage arrived at the polling station in Clacton-on-Sea in good spirits as he cast his vote in the by-election.
The Reform UK leader smiled and shook hands with voters on Thursday morning, appearing confident and cheerful despite the fact that nearly all major parties have boycotted the election.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch described it as “fake” while Sir Keir Starmer called it “a desperate political stunt”, leaving Count Binface – a satirical character who has pledged to abolish VAR in football and “nationalise Adele” – as his main rival.
Thursday’s by-election was triggered after Mr Farage resigned amid scrutiny over his finances.
Voters will have until 10pm to cast their ballots, with counting taking place overnight, with the results expected on Friday morning.
It comes as Labour have over taken Reform in a series of polls with Mr Farage's party struggling following a series of scandals, including questions about a £5m donation he received from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne and gifts from a convicted criminal, George Cottrell.
Read MoreIn The Room | Count Binface vs Farage: Flakes, Ferraris and the Clacton by-election
Count Binface’s first-ever interview resurfaces six years later as he prepares to face Farage
Clacton by-election poll tracker: Could Count Binface deliver a huge upset to Nigel Farage?
Key Points
- Nigel Farage arrives to vote in Clacton by-election
- Record number of 34 candidates standing in by-election
- Count Binface would beat Farage if all of UK could vote, poll shows
- Who is Count Binface?
- Full list of candidates
- In the Room podcast: Count Binface on Farage, Flakes, Ferraris, and Clacton
Andy Burnham’s leadership suited to ‘world of social media’, says Yvette Cooper
12:19 , Maryam Zakir-HussainA Cabinet minister has said Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership style “doesn’t necessarily work in politics”.
Yvette Cooper criticised the No 10 operation during her former boss’s premiership, and suggested Andy Burnham was better suited to “a world of social media”.
Speaking to former chancellor George Osborne on the Political Currency podcast, Ms Cooper said Sir Keir had “a style of leading the Government that maybe doesn’t necessarily work in politics”, because he had a “bring me solutions, not problems” style of management.
Referring to immigration reforms whivch were launched during her time in the Home Office, she said: “It was like, ‘well, you can sit in the front row of the launch but actually, the Prime Minister’s going to launch it’.
“But actually, the Prime Minister’s not really been involved in the development of policies.”
Ms Cooper said that in “contrast”, the Prime Minister’s drive to reform social care has largely “come from Andy because it’s something he’s been passionate about”.
The Prime Minister has pledged to work cross-party to create a care system where patients can “move seamlessly between hospitals, home care and community services”, while being “fully and sustainably funded”.
Ms Cooper continued: “He wanted to then talk a lot about – what are the problems here? How should we be thinking about it? How should we be trying to solve it?
“And he wanted me to be part of the event launching it, to be speaking at it, to be talking about it.
“And I think there’s, maybe there’s a difference in style of operating.”
Ms Cooper also said that “in a world of social media, it’s really obvious what he cares about, feels, can feel passionate about” while at the same time being “a lot older” than he was when he left parliament in 2017 to become the mayor of Greater Manchester for almost a decade.
Watch: Nigel Farage casts his vote in the Clacton by-election
11:48 , Maryam Zakir-HussainReform councillor suspended after calling for Commons speaker to be hanged
11:20 , Maryam Zakir-HussainA Reform councillor has been suspended after resurfaced social media posts appeared to show him calling for the Commons speaker to be hanged.
In response to a post about then-Commons speaker John Bercow, an account linked to Kirklees councillor David Rowan wrote on social media in October 2019: “Hang the Dwarf”.
In another post, which has not yet been deleted, he also made homophobic comments, having said he doesn’t believe “gays should have kids full stop”.
Reform councillor suspended after calling for Commons speaker to be hanged
Met Police accused of deciding which victims matter and which don’t in failures over Simon Levy case
10:50 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe Metropolitan Police decides which victims “matter” and fails to take all cases of violence against women seriously, according to the mother of two murdered women.
Mina Smallman’s daughters, Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, were stabbed to death while celebrating a birthday in a park in Wembley, north west London, in June 2020.
Two officers were each jailed for sharing photographs of the sisters on WhatsApp, describing them as “dead birds” in the messaging groups.
Met Police accused of deciding which victims matter and which don’t over Levy case
In pictures: Farage arrives to vote in Clacton by-election
10:33 , Maryam Zakir-HussainReform UK leader Nigel Farage waves and smiles as he arrives to vote in the Clacton by-election.
Watch: Burnham vows to end IPP sentences after Independent campaign
10:20 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSwinney 'absolutely right' to challenge Burnham on vetoed Chinese factory plan
10:01 , Maryam Zakir-HussainJohn Swinney was “absolutely right” to ask Andy Burnham to reconsider the government’s block on plans by a Chinese firm to build a wind turbine factory in Scotland, a Holyrood minister has said.
Ming Yang had proposed building the facility in Ardersier, near Inverness, with the potential for creating up to 1,500 jobs.
But the plans were blocked by the Westminster government over national security concerns about the Chinese firm.
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney is said to have pressed the prime minister to reconsider the proposal, with The Scotsman reporting he raised the issue in his first meeting with Mr Burnham and also wrote to him about it.
Scotland’s energy minister Stephen Gethins said it was a “massive blow” that the plans have been vetoed by the UK government.
He told BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme: “The First Minister is right to ask about this. This is 1,500 jobs in the north of Scotland. It’s also an area that is being transformed by that move towards offshore renewables, Scotland continuing to contribute.
“It’s an area which is, in general terms, important for security. Scotland is contributing to European energy security, which is a concern across Europe when you speak to leaders there.
“Also, let’s be blunt: China is investing in the energy sector and the ICT sector, and in fact Chinese investment across Europe has gone up over the past couple of years.
“Even in sensitive areas like information and communication technologies, energy presence in higher education, this will have a huge impact in terms of jobs, investment, but also us making that transition to renewables as well, which is well under way.
“This is a massive blow, the veto that’s come from the UK government, and I think it’s absolutely right that the First Minister asked the question why.”
Count Binface’s first-ever interview resurfaces six years later as he prepares to face Farage
09:23 , Maryam Zakir-HussainCount Binface first faced a grilling by a journalist ahead of taking on then-prime minister Boris Johnson for the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency at the 2019 general election.
Now, the satirical alter ego of comedian Jonathan David Harvey is gearing up to face Nigel Farage, who triggered the Clacton by-election in protest against media parliamentary scrutiny of his finances and backers.
In his first-ever interview with a journalist, the self-described “intergalactic space warrior” spoke with The Independent’s Sean O’Grady about his then-manifesto in a video published on Count Binface’s YouTube channel in January 2020.
He discussed a wide array of policies, ranging from banishing Katie Hopkins to the “Phantom Zone” to renaming London Bridge “Phoebe Waller Bridge”.
Count Binface’s first-ever interview resurfaces as he prepares to face Farage
Count Binface on Farage, Flakes, Ferraris, and Clacton
09:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainDays before the historic Clacton by-election, In The Room welcomed perhaps Nigel Farage’s most unusual opponent, Count Binface, where he faced rigorous political questioning.
Will he fund his 99 Flake price cap with a stealth tax on toppings? What is the naughtiest thing he's ever done?
And how does an intergalactic space warrior eat a bacon sarnie?
Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or watch on YouTube.
The strange and surprisingly moving story behind Count Binface, the man taking on Farage
08:37 , Maryam Zakir-HussainIn a rare show of unity, the major parties have refused to put forward candidates to fight in Clacton.
Labour and the Tories alike have disdained Nigel Farage’s decision, with Kemi Badenoch describing the by-election as “fake” and former prime minister Keir Starmer calling it “a desperate political stunt”.
And so Farage’s challenger is Count Binface, the intergalactic rubbish basket-wearing alter ego of comedian Jon Harvey, who, over the course of the past decade, has become a strange fixture of British politics, sneaking into the frame of almost every big election.
Read more from Katie Rosseinsky here:
The surprisingly moving story behind Count Binface, the man taking on Farage
Minister defends banning of zero hour contracts
08:16 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur political reporter Athena Stavrou writes:
A minister has defended the government’s decision ban zero hour contracts, in response to criticism that it could cost businesses up to £3 billion a year.
Speaking to Sky News, she said: “We will look very carefully at how we implement the changes that we have put in place through our Employment Rights Act.
“But just to remind people why we did that in the first place, that’s to make sure that when people get into work, that will be work that is fairly paid, where they’ve got security, where they can combine it with the responsibilities that they have in their families.”
She continued: “I don’t think it’s fair for somebody to be on a contract where they literally don’t know whether or not they’re going to be working at all, and yet they’re bound by that contract. So, that’s what we want to bring an end to.”
She added the government will continue to talk to employers about how improvements for workers are implemented.
World Cup and June’s heatwave help UK economy withstand Iran war pressures
08:01 , Holly EvansBritain’s economic growth slowed in the second quarter but a boost from heatwaves and the World Cup helped offset impacts from the Iran war in a better-than-expected performance in June, official figures have shown.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.4 per cent between April and June, down from 0.6 per cent growth in the first three months of the year.
Its data showed growth of 0.3 per cent month-on-month in June, against expectations for a flat performance, as the ONS said firms across the service sector reported buoyant trade thanks to extreme hot weather and the start of the World Cup football tournament.
The June rise in GDP followed flat growth in May, revised down from 0.1 per cent growth previously estimated, and a 0.1 per cent contraction in April.
Liz McKeown, ONS director of economic statistics, said: “Growth slowed in the second quarter of the year, following a strong start to 2026, but remained relatively robust.”
“Services also drove growth in June, with some businesses reporting that good weather and sporting events may have had a positive impact that month,” she added.
The strange and surprisingly moving story behind Count Binface, the man taking on Farage
07:44 , Holly EvansWhen the residents of Clacton come to cast their votes in the newly announced by-election tomorrow, it seems they will have a choice between two main candidates: a man with a habit of spouting (what is, to some) total rubbish and… a sentient bin.
This week, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage set out his plans to resign as the MP for Clacton and stand again for his seat, following a scandal over undeclared gifts, including £5m from the cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne, which is being investigated by the parliamentary standards commissioner.
His intention, he has said, is to be judged by his constituents rather than “the establishment”, arguing that he has done no wrong and that the probe is a “political tool”. His opponents, however, see this move merely as Farage’s latest attention-grabbing feat, a way to shift the focus away from the investigation, which will be suspended during his campaign.
Read the full article here:
The surprisingly moving story behind Count Binface, the man taking on Farage
Investigation into Farage will resume if he wins seat
07:31 , Holly EvansBefore quitting Westminster, Nigel Farage was being investigated by the parliamentary standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg over a £5 million gift from cryptocurrency tycoon Christopher Harborne, which he received before taking his seat in the Commons.
Under Commons rules, new MPs are required to register any gifts worth more than £300 they received in the previous 12 months, except where the gift “could not be reasonably thought by others” to relate to their political activities.
That investigation was paused when Mr Farage resigned his seat but will resume if he wins the by-election – as bookmakers have made him the firm favourite to do.
Mr Farage could also face an investigation over support provided by George Cottrell, a long-term ally.
Mr Cottrell reportedly recruited and paid three staff to work on Mr Farage’s social media before the general election, and has continued to allow him to use a five-storey Georgian property he rented near Buckingham Palace.
Record number of 34 candidates standing in by-election
07:16 , Holly EvansThe main Westminster parties are boycotting the by-election, dismissing it as a stunt by the Reform UK leader, but a record 34 candidates are standing.
Nigel Farage wanted it to be a “people versus the establishment” showdown but, rather than Labour and Tory rivals, he is facing opponents including satirical candidate Count Binface, actor-turned-politician Laurence Fox, three from the Official Monster Raving Loony Party and an array of independents.
The contest is estimated to have cost taxpayers around £250,000 and the 90cm-long ballot paper has also caused logistical problems for Tendring District Council and returning officer Ian Davidson.
The size of the ballot paper means larger tables than usual will be required at the count and the result will be announced on the floor of Clacton Leisure Centre rather than on a stage due to the number of candidates who would have to fit on it.
Photographers and TV cameras covering the count have been advised by officials they will need a wide-angle lens to fit all the candidates into a single shot.
Polls open in Clacton by-election
07:02 , Adam WithnallPolls have opened in Clacton-on-Sea as voters cast their ballots to decide Nigel Farage’s future as an MP.
Voters will have until 10pm to cast their ballots, with counting taking place overnight, with the results expected on Friday morning.
Countdown to polls opening
06:00 , Alex RossWe’re now just an hour away from polls opening in one of the strangest modern by-elections as Nigel Farage attempts to retain the Clacton seat.
The Reform UK leader quit as an MP to trigger the contest in protest at media and parliamentary scrutiny of donations from his backers.
The main Westminster parties are boycotting the Clacton by-election, dismissing it as a stunt by the Reform UK leader, but a record 34 candidates are standing.
The contest is estimated to cost taxpayers around £250,000 and the 90cm-long ballot paper has also caused logistical problems for Tendring District Council and returning officer Ian Davidson.
Size of Farage's majority at last election in Clacton
05:00 , Alex RossBack in 2024, Nigel Farage won the seat of Clacton with 46.2 per cent of the vote.
It marked a majority of 8,405 over his Conservative rival.
Badenoch vows to put forward ‘serious Tory candidate’ in Clacton
04:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneKemi Badenoch has vowed to put forward a "serious candidate" in Clacton should a parliamentary standards investigation lead to a second by-election in the Essex constituency.
The declaration came last week ahead of Thursday’s by-election.
The Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is seeking re-election and is one of 34 individuals listed on the extensive 3ft-long ballot paper.
In the letter, Ms Badenoch wrote: “Mr Farage wants the people of Clacton to settle his problems for him.
“He wants to point to you and say, ‘even after the £5 million scandal, Clacton still chose me.'”
You can read more below:
Badenoch vows to put forward ‘serious Tory candidate’ in Clacton – on one condition
Recap: Who is Count Binface?
03:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneAfter all other major political parties refused to stand in the Clacton by election, Nigel Farage’s main competitor has emerged as Count Binface.
The satirical character has pledged to abolish VAR in football, conscript people who play loud music on public transport and “nationalise Adele”
The comedian, who is described as an “independent space warrior” and wears a bin on his head, has contested a number of elections, including contests against Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak and most recently the by-election in Makerfield, where he received 95 votes.
The man behind the mask is Jonathan David Harvey, a comedian who has has worked on shows including Have I Got News For You and the Thick of It.
Watch: Count Binface's first-ever interview resurfaces six years later as he prepares to face Farage
02:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneCount Binface would beat Nigel Farage in Clacton if all Britons could vote in by-election, poll finds
01:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneCount Binface would beat Nigel Farage in a head-to-head contest in Clacton if the entire nation was voting, a new poll on the eve of the by-election has found.
New polling from More in Common shows that in a head-to-head contest, 37 per cent of Britons want Count Binface to win the seat, while only 32 per cent would back the Reform UK leader.
Green Party voters were most likely to prefer Count Binface to win, with 62 per cent saying so, followed by 56 per cent of Liberal Democrat voters and 54 per cent of Labour voters.
You can read more below:
Count Binface would beat Farage in Clacton if all Britons could vote, poll finds
What do the polls say ahead of election day?
Thursday 13 August 2026 00:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRecap: Pilot’s flight path draws bin shape above Clacton days before Farage v Count Binface by-election
Wednesday 12 August 2026 23:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneJust days before Nigel Farage takes on Count Binface in the Clacton by-election, a pilot traced the shape of a bin with their flightpath near the coastal town.
According to flight tracking data from Flightradar24, the light aircraft took off from Earls Colne airfield in Essex at 2.48pm on Saturday and landed at 4.13pm, having spent around half an hour above the sea off Clacton, zig-zagging to create a flightpath in the shape of a bin.
The plane is in private ownership according to Flightradar24 and it is not known who flew it during the stunt.
You can read more below:
Pilot’s flight path draws bin shape above Clacton days before by-election
Count Binface and the serious political message behind the UK’s ‘joke’ candidates
Wednesday 12 August 2026 22:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneA man in a bin costume standing against a Reform politician once considered a ’fringe’ candidate offers a window into the shifting boundaries of British politics, writes Richard Toye.
Count Binface and the serious political message behind the UK’s ‘joke’ candidates
Watch: What do Nigel Farage’s Clacton constituents think about his resignation?
Wednesday 12 August 2026 21:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRecap: Full list of candidates for the Clacton constituency
Wednesday 12 August 2026 21:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane• Joseph 77 (Independent)
• Adham Alkhatip (The Forward Party)
• Count Binface (Count Binface Party)
• Nick The Incredible Flying Brick (The Official Monster Raving Loony Party)
• Tony Cane (Independent)
• Woke Trump Carrzee (Independent)
• William Stuart James Clouston (Social Democratic Party)
•Rees Cowne (Independent)
• Glenn Charles Cummings (Independent)
• Martin Davies (Freedom Alliance – Real People, Real Alternative!)
• Andy Erlam (Independent)
• Nigel Farage (Reform UK)
• Attieh Fard (Independent)
• Laurence Fox (The Reclaim Party)
• Tony Francis (Independent)
• Robin Green (Independent)
• Abi Hookway (Independent)
• Howling Laud Hope (The Official Monster Raving Loony Party)
• Stephen Richard Ingram (Independent)
• Amy Morris (Independent)
• Derrick Norbert Morris (Independent)
• Michael Noel O’Keeffe (Independent)
• Martyn OBrien (Independent)
• Nick Pelas (Independent)
• Ketankumar Pipaliya (UK VOICE safer and stronger UK)
• Daniel Pocock (Independent)
• James Ransley (Consensus Party Candidate)
• Gerry Smith (Independent)
• Kai Stephens (British Democrats)
• John Stevens (Rejoin EU)
• Baron Von Thunderclap (The Official Monster Raving Loony Party)
• Pamela Walford (Independent)
• Marcus White (Everyone is God Party)
• Marc Wilkinson (Independent)
Nigel Farage’s popularity is plummeting. In Clacton, voters say they are losing faith
Wednesday 12 August 2026 20:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneNigel Farage’s popularity is at its lowest point since the 2024 election, and next week he faces a by-election of his own making. Nicole Wootton-Cane speaks to voters in Clacton about why they are losing faith in the Reform UK leader.
Farage’s popularity is plummeting. In Clacton, voters say they are losing faith
Your views: Readers have their say ahead of Clacton by-election
Wednesday 12 August 2026 20:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneNigel Farage faces the voters of Clacton on Thursday in a by-election he called himself – and the town’s verdict on his two years as their MP looks bruising.
In an Independent poll of readers, 87 per cent said they had seen little change since he was elected, against just 6 per cent who felt he had delivered on his promises.
You can read more below:
‘Farage is the joke’: Readers have their say ahead of Clacton vote
Labour leads Reform in yet another poll days before Nigel Farage faces crucial Clacton by-election
Wednesday 12 August 2026 19:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneLabour has taken the lead over Reform in a fresh national poll just days before Nigel Farage faces the judgement of voters in a crucial by-election in Clacton.
The latest survey puts Andy Burnham’s party on 28 per cent, three points ahead of Reform on 25 per cent, Labour’s best position in an Ipsos poll for more than a year.
It is the fourth national poll Labour has topped since Mr Burnham entered Downing Street, ending the run that saw Mr Farage’s party lead in the polls for more than a year.
You can read more below:
Labour leads Reform in another poll days before Farage’s crunch Clacton by-election
Recap: Nigel Farage plummets to lowest approval level since election in new poll
Wednesday 12 August 2026 19:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneExclusive Ipsos polling seen by The Independent along with a More in Common poll have both revealed that Mr Farage’s approval rating hit an all time low of -32 per cent at the end of last month as new prime minister Andy Burnham soared into the lead.
The Independent’s political editor David Maddox has the full report below:
Nigel Farage plummets to lowest approval level since election in new poll
When is the Clacton by-election and who are the dozens of candidates standing against Nigel Farage?
Wednesday 12 August 2026 18:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneVoters heading to the polls this week in Nigel Farage’s by-election in Clacton will have a record number of candidates to choose from – but will not be able to vote for most major parties.
The Reform UK leader announced he was quitting as an MP as questions mounted over his personal finances.
But shortly after the Labour Party, the Tories, Liberal Democrats, Greens and Restore Britain have all said they will not stand candidates in the by-election, leaving independent candidates and Count Binface to contest the vote.
You can read about Thursday’s by-election and all the candidates standing against Mr Farage below:
When is the Clacton by-election and who is standing in Farage’s clash with Binface?
‘I saw Count Binface being interviewed – it made me really angry’
Wednesday 12 August 2026 18:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThere are a record 34 candidates standing in Clacton-on-Sea’s by-election – but many voters say they feel nobody is taking them seriously. Nicole Wootton-Cane speaks to residents to find out what the election means beyond Farage versus Count Binface.
Clacton may have 34 by-election candidates - but voters say they have no choice
Watch: Count Binface vs Farage: Flakes, Ferraris and the Clacton by-election
Wednesday 12 August 2026 17:30 , Nicole Wootton-CanePolitics explained: Why Farage could face a second by-election in Clacton – even if he beats Count Binface
Wednesday 12 August 2026 17:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThis week’s seaside showdown against ‘independent space warrior’ Count Binface might be just the start of the Reform leader’s electoral headaches, as Sean O’Grady explains.
Why Nigel Farage could face a second by-election in Clacton
Kemi Badenoch penned letter to Clacton voters a week before poll
Wednesday 12 August 2026 16:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneVoters in Clacton go to the polls in a week’s time, on Thursday August 13, after Nigel Farage stood down as an MP to trigger a by-election.
The Reform UK leader is standing for re-election and is one of 34 candidates on the 3ft-long ballot paper.
But none of the largest parties in Westminster – Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats – are in the running, having dismissed the poll as a stunt.
In a letter “to the people of Clacton” last week, Conservative Party leader Mrs Badenoch wrote: “Nigel Farage has called this by-election not to help you but to help himself.”
Politics explained: Farage vs Count Binface - who will really win the Clacton by-election?
Wednesday 12 August 2026 16:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe ultimate winner from this entirely unnecessary contest will be neither the Reform leader nor Britain’s most prominent waste receptacle, as Sean O’Grady explains.
Who will really win the Clacton by-election?
Clacton by-election poll tracker: Could Count Binface deliver a huge upset to Nigel Farage?
Wednesday 12 August 2026 15:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneOne in five people in Clacton would rather vote for Count Binface in the upcoming by-election than vote for Nigel Farage, polls reveal.
A survey by Survation for Mandate Research of voters in Clacton suggests Mr Farage would win 73 per cent of the vote, while his main rival Count Binface could sweep up an estimated 20 per cent of the vote.
In an Ipsos poll asking the general public who they would vote for in a hypothetical head-to-head, a third (33 per cent) of British adults said they would prefer Count Binface to win the race, while only 21 per cent back the Reform UK leader.
Meanwhile, the poll found 32 per cent wouldn’t want either of them to win and 13 per cent didn’t know who they would choose.
You can read more about the latest polls below:
Clacton by-election polls: Could Count Binface deliver a huge upset to Nigel Farage?
Count Binface says royal family should give up Buckingham Palace: “They don’t even like it”
Wednesday 12 August 2026 15:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneIn his manifesto, Count Binface has pledged to build “at least one affordable house”.
It might sound like the political jibes that the satirist has become known for, but the issue of homelessness sits close to Count Binface’s heart – or, rather, his “central fluid-pumping organ”.
In this clip from the latest episode of In The Room, he explains why he’s such an avid supporter of the anti-homelessness charity Shelter, and how he thinks the royal family could help ease the UK housing crisis.
Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or watch on YouTube.
Count Binface says royals should give up Buckingham Palace: ‘They don’t even like it’
Latest pictures from Clacton
Wednesday 12 August 2026 14:46 , Athena Stavrou
When does voting close?
Wednesday 12 August 2026 14:10 , Athena StavrouPolling stations will open at 7am and close at 10pm. The result is expected to be announced in the early hours of Friday.
But because there are a total of 34 candidates - a record number for any parliamentary contest - counting could go on for longer than anticipated and push the announcement to 5am.
Watch: Count Binface's first-ever interview resurfaces six years later as he prepares to face Farage
Wednesday 12 August 2026 13:43 , Athena StavrouWhy is there a by-election happening?
Wednesday 12 August 2026 13:30 , Athena StavrouNigel Farage dramatically announced that he would step down from parliament and call a by-election in his Clacton seat, which he would contend after claiming he was the victim of “an establishment stitch-up”.
His decision to force a contest followed continued questions about a £5m donation he received from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne and gifts from a convicted criminal, George Cottrell.
Full list of candidates
Wednesday 12 August 2026 13:04 , Athena StavrouTendring District Council has confirmed a total of 34 candidates - a record for any parliamentary contest.
They are as follows:
Nigel Farage – Reform UK
Count Binface – Count Binface Party
Nick the Incredible Flying Brick – Monster Raving Loony Party
William Clouston – Social Democratic Party
Martin Davies – Freedom Alliance
Laurence Fox – Reclaim
Adham Alkhatip – Forward Party
Howling Laud Hope – Monster Raving Loony Party
Ketankumar Pipaliya – UKVoice
James Ransley – Consensus Party
Kai Stephens – British Democratic Party
John Stevens – Rejoin EU Party
Baron Von Thunderclap – Monster Raving Loony Party
Marcus White – Everyone is God party
Marc Wilkinson – Independent
Pamela Walford – Independent
Gerry Smith – Independent
Daniel Pocock – Independent
Nicholas Pelas – Independent
Martyn O'Brien – Independent
Michael O'Keeffe – Independent
Derrick Morris – Independent
Amy Morris – Independent
Stephen Ingram – Independent
Abi Hookway - Independent
Robin Green – Independent
Tony Francis – Independent
Attieh Fard – Independent
Andy Erlam – Independent
Glenn Cummings – Independent
Rees Cowne – Independent
Woke Trump Carrzee – Independent
Tony Cane – Independent
Joseph 77 – Independent
Who is Count Binface?
Wednesday 12 August 2026 12:56 , Athena StavrouAfter all other major political parties refused to stand in the Clacton by election, Nigel Farage’s main competitor has emerged as Count Binface.
The satirical character has pledged to abolish VAR in football, conscript people who play loud music on public transport and “nationalise Adele”
The comedian, who is described as an “independent space warrior” and wears a bin on his head, has contested a number of elections, including contests against Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak and most recently the by-election in Makerfield, where he received 95 votes.
The man behind the mask is Jonathan David Harvey, a comedian who has has worked on shows including Have I Got News For You and the Thick of It.
Watch: Voters in Clacton say they have 'lost hope' ahead of by-election
Wednesday 12 August 2026 12:53 , Athena StavrouCount Binface would beat Nigel Farage in Clacton if all Britons could vote in by-election, poll finds
Wednesday 12 August 2026 12:49 , Athena StavrouCount Binface would beat Nigel Farage in a head-to-head contest in Clacton if the entire nation was voting, a new poll on the eve of the by-election has found.
New polling from More in Common shows that in a head-to-head contest, 37 per cent of Britons want Count Binface to win the seat, while only 32 per cent would back the Reform UK leader.
Green Party voters were most likely to prefer Count Binface to win, with 62 per cent saying so, followed by 56 per cent of Liberal Democrat voters and 54 per cent of Labour voters.
Read the full story here:
Count Binface would beat Farage in Clacton if all Britons could vote, poll finds
Nigel Farage begins final push to reclaim seat in battle with Count Binface
Wednesday 12 August 2026 12:47 , Athena StavrouNigel Farage is hours away from facing Count Binface in a crunch by-election, as voters in Clacton-on-Sea prepare to head to the polls on Thursday.
The Reform UK leader is out campaigning in the constituency in a final push to garner support in the contest.
