Count Binface, the satirical political candidate known for wearing a silver bin on his head, has declared he will stand against Nigel Farage in the Clacton byelection, offering what he calls a more hopeful alternative. The announcement came after Farage resigned as MP for Clacton to force a byelection, citing a dispute over undeclared funds.
Binface Enters the Race
Binface, whose real name is Jon Harvey, issued a statement saying, "I will be a unity candidate and pledge to build at least one affordable house. Nigel Farage says he wants 'the people versus the establishment'. So be it. Leave him to me." The move follows other major parties deciding not to contest the byelection, which they labeled a "stunt."
Binface has become a media favorite since Tuesday, promoting policies such as nationalizing singer Adele and capping croissant prices at £1. Even the Daily Mail, sympathetic to Farage's Reform UK party, ran the headline "Farage: Binface byelection is deadly serious" on Thursday, with an inside piece stating, "Farage is learning that when voters are shouting at you, it's bad. When they're laughing at you, it's over."
Background of the Binface Phenomenon
Jon Harvey, 46, from Croydon, is a comedy writer for BBC shows including The Thick of It and Have I Got News for You. He first gained political notoriety in 2017 as Lord Buckethead, standing against Theresa May in Maidenhead. After a copyright dispute over the Buckethead character, he adopted the Count Binface persona for the 2019 general election.
Harvey has spoken about his challenging upbringing, living in 11 houses by age 11 due to his father's alcoholism. In 2015, he found his brother Dan dead from a hypoglycemic coma, an experience he channeled into a book about coping with grief through sport.
Novelty Candidate Tradition
The tradition of novelty candidates in Britain dates back to Lieutenant Commander Bill Boaks in the 1950s, but Screaming Lord Sutch made it iconic with the Monster Raving Loony party. Harvey sees himself as a natural heir. David Hughes, a former Lord Buckethead, said, "I do genuinely think that, more than the clicks and shits and giggles, he does actually genuinely believe that the absurdist element of British elections is kind of a cool one."
Binface has international attention too, styled as "Comte Tête-de-poubelle" in France and "El Conde Cubo de Basura" in Spain. Raheem Kassam, a former Farage adviser, investigated Binface, revealing Harvey as an "Oxbridge liberal elitist" with anti-Brexit tweets. Despite this, Binface's appeal persists, with Hughes noting, "There is that endless joke: there is one absurd, parody, completely inappropriate candidate – and he is standing against Count Binface."
