Voters in the seaside town of Clacton, located just east of London, are heading to the polls this Thursday for a special election that has attracted a diverse and unconventional field of contenders. The contest features Nigel Farage, leader of the anti-immigration party Reform UK, facing off against a collection of independent candidates, single-issue hopefuls, and political satirists.
Among his most prominent opponents is Count Binface, a comedian who campaigns while wearing a trash can on his head. The election was triggered after Farage, who arguably did more than anyone to get Britain to vote to leave the European Union a decade ago, resigned his seat in the House of Commons last month.
Farage had initially expected to contest the seat against representatives from the major political parties, such as the governing Labour Party and the Conservative Party. However, these parties opted not to field candidates, dismissing the special election as a political stunt. Farage stated his intention was to let voters judge him in a contest of the people versus the establishment, hoping to resolve ongoing questions regarding his personal finances.
With a record 34 candidates standing for election, residents of Clacton are being presented with an unusually long ballot paper measuring approximately 3 feet, or one meter, in length. Other candidates include Howling Laud Hope of The Official Monster Raving Loony Party and Marcus White from the Everyone is God Party. These contenders have spent the past several weeks pounding the streets of Clacton as they seek to win the support of the town's approximately 80,000 voters.
Turnout for the election is expected to be low, a common trend in special elections, and is further complicated by the timing of the vote during the summer holidays and a period of high temperatures in the U.K. In the July 2024 general election, Farage faced eight rivals and secured his seat with 21,225 votes, or 46.2% of the total, amid a 58.7% turnout.
Farage, who in 2024 was elected to Parliament at his eighth attempt in the strongly Brexit-backing town, has spent months addressing scrutiny regarding his finances. Specifically, Parliament’s standards watchdog is investigating an undeclared donation of 5 million pounds, or $6.7 million, received in 2024 from Thailand-based cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne. Farage maintains that he did not need to declare the money because it was a personal gift used to fund his security and was received prior to his election.
When he stood down on July 7, he described the scrutiny as an “establishment hit job” and a media-driven “witch-hunt.” While his resignation paused the parliamentary inquiry, a victory on Thursday is expected to see the process resume. If found to have breached rules, Farage could face a recall petition, potentially leading to another special election later this year that would cost the British taxpayer hundreds of thousands of pounds more. In that scenario, other parties would likely choose to stand.
The current race stands in contrast to recent political events, such as the special election in the Makerfield constituency near Manchester, where Andy Burnham returned to Parliament. That campaign shone a positive spotlight on Burnham, triggering a chain of events that saw him become Britain's prime minister a few weeks later following the resignation of Keir Starmer.
Farage’s hope for a similarly positive campaign narrative was dashed when the other political parties failed to participate, leaving him to face figures like Count Binface, whose real identity is a middle-aged comedian named Jon Harvey.
Under his black cape, trash can, and body armor, Harvey is trying to keep his cool during a sweaty summer. Binface, who has previously run against former prime ministers Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, asserts that his 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.
Joke candidates are a long-standing and cherished tradition in British elections, provided they meet the rules and pay the 500 pound, or $675, deposit required of all those standing. They only receive the deposit back if they muster 5% of the votes cast. In his most recent run against Burnham in Makerfield, the 5,000-year-old Binface received 95 votes, or 0.2% of the total.
However, there is an expectation that he will perform significantly better in Clacton, as many voters from other political parties have been lending him their support, partly in the hope of embarrassing Farage. The result of the election, which will be announced as Farage is onstage with all his fellow candidates, is expected Friday morning between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m.
This election is taking place during the summer holidays when thousands of voters will be far away from Clacton. It's also taking place during another U.K. heatwave, which could prompt many to opt against making the trip to the polling station.
