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These days, a candidate is in the news in Britain, who wears a dustbin-like outfit during the election campaign and calls himself an alien. The candidate, named Count Binface, is contesting against Reform UK’s radical leader Nigel Farage in the Clacton by-election.
Count Binface says that whatever be the outcome of the election, his victory will be considered. He is also in the news because of his strange promises. They are promising to provide affordable houses to every citizen.
Count Binface during an interview in a London studio last month. He is played by comedian John Harvey.
There was a dispute over copyright, then the name was Count Binface.
Count Binface is played by 46-year-old writer and comedian John Harvey. He has contested elections several times under the name Count Binface.
Harvey first contested the 2017 British general election under the name Lord Buckethead against then-PM Theresa May. There was a copyright dispute regarding this name.
Actually, Lord Buckethead is also a satirical fictional character. It wears a black hat that resembles a bucket. First of all, in 1987, a person named Mike Lee contested this election under the name Lord Buckethead.
After this Harvey had to give up the name Lord Buckethead. Harvey then launched the Count Binface character a few months before the 2018 election.
John Harvey contested his first election in the year 2017 in the name of Lord Buckethead.
What does the name count binface mean
This name is made up of 2 words. Count, Binface. Count is a title associated with the monarchy. Such as Lord, Earl or Baron is also a title. In this case, Count Binface means Count with the face of a dustbin.
Count Binface contested the 2019 election against then Prime Minister Boris Johnson. After this, he was also a candidate in the 2021 and 2024 London mayoral elections, 2023 by-election, 2024 general election and a by-election in 2026.
Britain’s current Prime Minister Andy Burnham (centre), Count Binface (left) and fox-dressed animal rights activist Robert Pownall were also candidates in the Makerfield by-election this year.
Will Count Binface be able to win the election?
In the current circumstances, it is very unlikely that Count Binface will win the elections. Actually, Faraj has been MP from Clacton seat. In the last election he got 46% votes. In the recent survey, he is estimated to get around 73% votes.
Britain’s big parties like Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrats have not fielded candidates in this by-election. This has made Faraj’s chances of victory stronger. Count Binface is Farage’s best-known opponent in this election, but he is not the only one. A total of 33 candidates are in the fray in this by-election.
For Count Binface, the real victory will not be winning seats, but getting good votes. Till now he has got the maximum of about 1% votes in the 2021 London Mayor election.
The absence of major parties in the Clacton by-election has made Coun Binface Farage’s most high-profile rival. If he gets 5% or more of the votes, his security deposit of £500 will be returned. This will be considered a big success for them.
Count Binface’s famous election promises
- Count Binface’s election promises are also full of mockery and sarcasm. He says that if he wins, he will definitely build at least one cheap house. This is a jibe at those governments, which promise to build millions of affordable houses in every election, but often fail to meet their targets.
- They also say, ‘We will reduce your taxes and increase everyone else’s.’ This is also a satire, because every leader promises the public to reduce taxes.
- Another funny promise of his is that he will declare Britain’s famous singer Adele as government property. Adele is Britain’s highest-paid singer. The Count uses his name to create political satire by making an impossible promise.
A man shows a poster of Count Binface outside Downing Street in central London last month.
3 more candidates like Count Binface
Apart from Count Binface, there are three more candidates against Farage who are known for their sarcastic style. These three candidates are from the official Monster Raving Looney Party. It is a satirical political party of Britain which is known for fielding such candidates in elections. It was founded in 1983 by composer David Sachs.
The candidates of this party often wear strange clothes and make such election promises, the purpose of which is to make people laugh as well as to draw attention to the shortcomings of the political system.
However, many of the party’s witty suggestions later proved to be true. These include ideas like allowing pubs to open 24 hours, pet passports and decisions through referendums, which were later implemented by British governments at different times.
Official Monster Raving Looney Party candidate with Labor Party leader Keir Starmer (far left) during the 2024 general election in Britain.
Old tradition of such candidates in Britain
In the UK, any British, Irish or eligible Commonwealth citizen aged 18 or over can contest parliamentary elections. For this, a security deposit of £500 has to be deposited and the support of 10 people from the local area is required.
For this reason, funny or sarcastic candidates often contest British elections. Some wear cartoon character costumes and some campaign in strange costumes. Their aim is more to be in the news and satirize politics than to win elections.
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