CLACTON, United Kingdom – Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has won a special election to remain a member of the UK Parliament after his main challenger, comedian Count Binface, campaigned in a costume resembling a trash can.
Okay News reports that Farage won 22,239 votes, while Count Binface, whose real name is comedian Jon Harvey, finished second with 9,455 votes. The other major British political parties did not field candidates in the contest.
Count Binface, who describes himself as an “intergalactic space warrior”, is a satirical political character who has contested several UK elections. His campaign included humorous proposals such as nationalising singer Adele and introducing a windfall tax on celebrity crime novels.
Farage triggered the election after resigning as the MP for Clacton six weeks earlier amid scrutiny over his finances and those of Reform UK. He had said he wanted voters to judge his conduct before returning to Parliament.
Despite the unusual contest, Farage increased his vote from the 2024 general election, when he won about 21,000 votes in the constituency. He did not attend the declaration of the result, saying police had warned him of a possible disruption. Essex Police said there had been no incidents or problems at the count.
Binface responded to the result by joking that he had come first among the candidates who attended the declaration. His 9,455 votes also indicated significant opposition to Farage despite the absence of candidates from the UK’s major political parties.
Farage’s victory does not end scrutiny of his political finances. A parliamentary investigation into his financial affairs, which had been paused during the election, is expected to resume. If investigators find that he breached parliamentary rules, the process could potentially lead to another election in the constituency.
The contest also comes as Farage’s Reform UK faces competition from Restore Britain, a new party founded by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe, while Labour continues to challenge Reform’s growing support across Britain.
