Vote Count Binface

The choice before Clacton

On 7 July 2026, Nigel Farage resigned as MP for Clacton, triggering a by-election in which he is standing again for Reform UK.⁸ His resignation followed scrutiny of his personal finances, including support worth £5 million from the Thailand-based cryptocurrency investor Christopher Harborne — now the subject of an inquiry by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.^8,12 Mr Farage says he wants the voters of Clacton, rather than the press or parliamentary authorities, to decide.¹²

Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and Restore Britain have all said they will not stand.^8,13 Which leaves, as of 8 July 2026, exactly one declared challenger.⁹

Election of a Member of Parliament for the Clacton Constituency Vote for one candidate only — illustrative; declared candidates as of 8 July 2026⁹

BINFACE, Count Count Binface Party

FARAGE, Nigel Paul Reform UK

The final candidate list is confirmed only at the close of nominations, after the by-election writ is moved. Others may yet stand.⁹

P101 BINFAX TUE 08 JUL 2026

KNOW YOUR CANDIDATE

ORIGIN Intergalactic space warrior. Leader of the Recyclons, planet Sigma IX. On Earth since 2017.¹
PARTY Count Binface Party. Registered with the Electoral Commission since 18 March 2021 (ref PP12685).⁵
FORM Has stood against three sitting Prime Ministers in their own seats: May (2017), Johnson (2019), Sunak (2024).^3,4
RECORD 92,896 total votes for London Mayor 2021 (24,775 first preferences) — 9th of 20, ahead of UKIP.^1,3
WHY CEEFAX STYLE? Because bringing back Ceefax has been on his manifesto since 2017. Obviously.³

1 VOTE 2 POLICIES 3 LORE 4 SOURCES

The lore (all of it true, in the ways that matter)

2017 — First contact

A space warrior lands in Maidenhead and stands against Prime Minister Theresa May under the name Lord Buckethead, taking 249 votes and going viral standing beside her at the count.⁴

2018 — The Battle of Planet Copyright

In his telling: “an unfortunate battle on the planet Copyright.”¹ On Earth: American filmmaker Todd Durham, who created Lord Buckethead for his 1984 film Hyperspace, asserted ownership of the character. Rather than fight a legal battle he couldn’t afford, comedian Jon Harvey respawned in his true form: Count Binface.^3,4

2019 — The 69

Binface debuts against Boris Johnson in Uxbridge & South Ruislip, scoring what his own website calls “a surprising 69” votes — and outpolling nobody’s expectations but his own.¹ A rival Lord Buckethead (new performer, Monster Raving Loony Party) stood in the same seat. The rivalry endures.⁴

2021–2024 — The record years

92,896 Londoners give him a vote for Mayor in 2021 — by his account, a record for an alien seeking public office on Earth.¹ In 2023 he nearly triples his Uxbridge tally (190 votes). In 2024 he takes on Rishi Sunak in Richmond & Northallerton and posts his best parliamentary result: 308 votes, 6th of 13.^6,7

Handdryergate

He signed an actual treaty with the Crown & Treaty pub in Uxbridge: when he is elected, they will move the dangerously positioned hand dryer in the gents. “Peace, justice, and less danger of splash-back.”²

2026 — The multiverse era

Stands in the real Makerfield by-election (95 votes, 18 June)⁶ and, separately, in a fictional Wakefield election in HBO’s Industry — his own site dutifully logs the 309 fictional votes.¹ Then, on 7 July, the call to Clacton comes.¹⁰

Democratic service record

Official results. Real ballots. One bin.

Year	Contest	Votes	Notes
2017	Maidenhead (GE) v Theresa May as Lord Buckethead	249	7th; the viral one⁴
2019	Uxbridge & S. Ruislip (GE) v Boris Johnson	69	Binface debut^1,3
2021	Mayor of London	92,896	incl. 2nd prefs; 24,775 first prefs; 9th of 20^1,3
2023	Uxbridge & S. Ruislip (by-election)	190	8th; almost triple 2019⁶
2024	Mayor of London	24,260	ahead of Britain First^3,7
2024	Richmond & Northallerton (GE) v Rishi Sunak	308	6th of 13; best parliamentary result^6,7
2026	Makerfield (by-election)	95	7th of 14^6,7
2026	Clacton (by-election) v Nigel Farage	?	Over to you, Clacton

Sources: UK Parliament election results service (Count Binface Party, ID 292), Democracy Club, countbinface.com.^6,7,1

The platform

His full Clacton manifesto is still to come — his website currently reads “I will update the site pronto. Bear with me, humans!”¹ These are the signature pledges of the wider Binface programme, as published and reported over the years.

01

At least one affordable house

The serious one — repeated for Clacton in his declaration statement. Standing behind it since his mayoral runs.^10,11

GENUINELY SERIOUS

02

Bring back Ceefax

On the books since 2017. The longest-running pledge in modern satirical politics.³

SIGNATURE

03

Croissants capped at £1.10

Analysed at length on BBC Radio 4’s More or Less. Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose now price at £1.10.¹⁴

BASICALLY ACHIEVED

04

Tie ministers’ pay to nurses’ pay

For the next 100 years. If it’s good enough for the people who run the wards…³

GENUINELY SERIOUS

05

Justice for the hand dryer

Relocation of the perilously placed dryer at the Crown & Treaty, Uxbridge. Treaty already signed with the pub.²

SIGNATURE

06

Nationalise Adele

Reported among the policies he says would apply if he wins Clacton.¹¹

FOR CLACTON

07

Phoebe Waller-Bridge Bridge

Rename London Bridge after Phoebe Waller-Bridge (and Hammersmith Bridge after Wayne Bridge). From the 2024 mayoral manifesto.¹⁵

MAYORAL ERA

08

Thames Water bosses: in the Thames

Executives to swim in the river their company manages. 99 Flakes at 99p. VAR: banned. Model railways: nationalised.¹⁵

MAYORAL ERA

09

HS2 → “FFS1”

A simple rename, at last reflecting the passenger experience. From the 2026 Makerfield manifesto.¹

2026

The serious bit

Behind the bin is a long-running, oddly noble argument: that turning up matters. That anyone should be able to stand. That a candidate in a bin on his head, making fully costed jokes about croissants, is part of what makes British democracy resilient rather than ridiculous.

And some of it is straightforwardly real: his pledge to build at least one affordable house is a deliberate, repeated point about how low the bar has fallen^10,11 — and 50% of proceeds from his official merchandise go to Shelter, the homelessness charity.¹⁶

Whoever you support: register, turn up, and vote.

Register to vote at GOV.UK →

Sources

Every claim on this page is cited. Compiled 8 July 2026; the by-election picture may change — check the dated sources.