It’s easy to look across the Atlantic and despair at the state of American politics under Donald Trump, but the Old Continent has its fair share of shenanigans.
Brexit champion, prominent Eurosceptic, fervent Trump supporter and leader of right-wing populist party Reform UK Nigel Farage has regularly made headlines for his antics, the most recent being his resignation as an MP to trigger a by-election in his Clacton constituency.
Farage claimed an “establishment stitch-up" after facing scrutiny over an unregistered £5 million donation from a cryptocurrency tycoon and gifts from a convicted criminal.
Many have seen this move on his part as a way to dodge the investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner and distract from the serious allegations regarding Farage's funders.
Still, by standing in the resulting by-election, Farage will attempt to win his seat back.
Major political parties have all refused to field candidates in the by-election dubbed by Farage as a “people versus the establishment” fight.
Outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the move was a “desperate stunt,” Green leader Zack Polanski branded it a “circus”, while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described the race as "fake" and accused Farage of having a “hissy fit”.
As for Chancellor Rachel Reeves, she said: "It is a farce and a desperate distraction, and the people of Clacton deserve better. But if he wants to spend the summer arguing with a bin, I won’t stop him."
A bin?
Yes. You read correctly. The refusal from the other parties to field candidates has resulted in boosted odds for a joke candidate who is considered Farage’s main – and currently only - opponent in the by-election.
His name? Count Binface.
He looks like this:
So, instead of facing the “establishment”, Farage will face off against a man with a rubbish bin on his face.
While this may seem incongruous or downright absurd, it isn’t unheard of. The UK have a long and proud tradition of novelty candidates, with the likes of Screaming Lord Sutch, Captain Beany, Lord Toby Jug or Howling Laud Hope as notable eccentrics who have run as parody candidates in elections as a form of satire or protest. Plus, the British have always shone when it comes to embracing silliness and leaning into self-deprication – as exemplified by some strange outfits and props over the years.
And now, the hopes of a nation hang on the Darth Vader-shaped shoulders of Count Binface, who is going viral online and amassing followers.
Lifting the lid on Count Binface
Who is the man inside the bin?
His name is Jonathan Harvey, a comedian who used to stand in elections as Lord Buckethead. Following a copyright complaint, he rebranded as Count Binface in 2018.
According to his profile on Great British Speakers, Harvey is “a veteran satirist, comedy writer, and performer whose work blends sharp political insight with theatrical absurdity, making him a distinctive voice for conferences, panels, and political events.”
As Count Binface, he wears a black and grey outfit, a silver cape, a huge dustbin helmet and describes himself as an alien space warrior from the planet Sigma IX.
The leader of the Recyclons - who also claims to be over 5,900 years old - isn’t new to the scene. He stood as a candidate in several elections, against Boris Johnson in the 2019 General Election (and again in 2023 at the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election); Sadiq Khan in the 2021 and 2024 London Mayoral elections; Rishi Sunak in the 2024 General Election... He was recently seen on stage when Labour party veteran and PM-to-be Andy Burnham found he had won the Makerfield by-election.
Check out the image below:
Yes, that is another joke candidate in a fox costume on Burham’s left. We still can’t decide if that’s Robert Pownhall, founder of the campaign group Protect the Wild, or if we’re just imagining him.
What are his policies?
Brace yourselves.
Count Binface has run on manifestos of building at least one affordable home, introducing price caps on croissants and Wigan Kebabs, nationalising the singer Adele, and "moving the hand dryer in the gents' toilet in the Crown and Treaty pub in Uxbridge to a more sensible position."
Some of his other policies have included reducing the price of 99 Flake ice creams to 99p, renaming London Bridge to "Phoebe Waller-Bridge", and he has vowed to force Thames Water bosses to "take a dip in the Thames to see how they like it" - in reference to sewage being pumped into the London river.
Some are hardly rubbish...
RelatedBeyond a joke
The Great British Speakers website adds on Harvey’s profile: “Jon combines insider knowledge of political systems with campaigning experience and proven audience engagement.”
Harvey uses the character of Count Binface not only to satirise British politics and lampoon its stuffy traditions, but to motivate discussions on democracy and encourage voter participation.
That’s far from a joke.
The odds on Count Binface beating Nigel Farage
Could Count Binface create one of the biggest and funniest upsets in modern British politics?
When asked by BBC Radio 4's Today Programme whether he could beat Farage, Count Binface said: "Probably not, but then you know my job is to celebrate and defend the wonders of British democracy. And look at this? The fact that you are interviewing me... Because all the other parties aren’t standing, says more about them than it does about me."
"Are they running scared from old Binny, or do they think that Nigel's running a cunning stunt?," he added.
While the odds are against Count Binface, it’s worth remembering that he does have some voting sway. After all, he picked up 92,896 votes in the 2021 London Mayoral Election, finishing 9th out of 20 candidates.
Farage is still the favourite to win, but considering the animosity he has generated, there’s still a chance. Count Binface has also said his main appeal to voters was that he was “not Nigel Farage".
Add the fact that stranger things have happened.
Beyond the baffling revolving door of British PMs in what seems like an increasingly ungovernable country and that lettuce outlasting Liz Truss’ time as prime minister, take the example of Stuart Hughes.
After standing unsuccessfully for the House of Commons for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party, the English politician was elected at the district level in Devon in 1991 for the Raving Loony Green Giant Party. He became the first "Raving Loony" candidate to win a contested election.
Is a new era of British politics upon us, in which the trash is taken out by the binman?
If so, Count Binface will become the posterboy for British humour winning the Pythonesque day.
If not, at least Farage’s humiliation at standing against a sole candidate wearing a bin on his head for the upcoming by-election will generate digs and further tank his reputation.
Andy Burnham already got the Farage trolling ball rolling by sharing a picture of him with Count Binface, captioned: “Always worth knowing when bin day is."
When he's realised quite how spectularly his political gamble has backfired, maybe Farage should clue himself up on when that day is.
