Nigel Farage’s decision to resign as Clacton MP and force a by-election has left him facing a single opponent: Count Binface, the bin-headed alter ego of comedian Jon Harvey.
Farage’s critics have called the Reform UK leader’s move a stunt to dodge a standards investigation into undeclared gifts, including £5m from a cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne.
As well as joining in with the criticism, Independent readers also have had plenty to say about Farage’s unlikely challenger.
Many praised Harvey as “genuinely funny, astute and compassionate”, with several arguing his empathy sets him apart from Farage. A number of readers went further, insisting a genuine upset isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds.
Others were less convinced, arguing that a joke candidate trivialises the contest and that a more powerful statement would be made by leaving Farage to run uncontested.
Here’s what you had to say:
Zelenskyy was a comedian too
Please remember, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also a former comedian. Who knows where hidden talent dwells. I hope Count Binface defeats Farage so soundly that Farage loses his election deposit.
A real human being beneath that dustbin
Having despaired of politics and the madness of the last few weeks, Count Binface has drawn me back and hope may yet be restored. There is a real human being beneath that dustbin, intelligent and imaginative to boot. But can Jaywick and Clacton rise to the challenge?
The one real obstacle is credibility
Ironically, Binface is the ideal candidate to stand against Farage. The main thing driving people to vote against Farage is their anger towards him, and the prospect of seeing the look on his face as he loses to Count Binface is a strong motive. The only real obstacle is credibility – people need to believe it’s possible. But if the polls show Binface has even the slightest chance, it could snowball very quickly.
Funny, astute and compassionate
He’s genuinely funny, astute and compassionate. In any debate, Farage would be utterly humiliated by him. Let’s make it happen, Clacton.
Humour is a very powerful leveller
Farage only got 26.98 per cent of the constituency vote in Clacton at the 2024 general election. Count Binface, meanwhile, has set up a ko-fi donation page limited to £3 per person: by Thursday evening, some 26,657 people had contributed, nearly £80,000 towards a spending limit of £180,050. Isn’t it worth £3 to see Farage humbled by a man with a bin over his head? Humour is a very powerful leveller.
From Tories to Corbynite Greens
I think Binface is an ideal candidate for the widest possible anti-Farage coalition to coalesce behind, from Tories to Corbynite Greens, and have a great laugh doing it. Wouldn’t it be just too wonderful?
Comedians have to be clever
Comedians are usually very intelligent. They have to be, to get inside other people’s minds. When politicians try to do this they usually fail, because they’re looking for a group not to laugh at, but to demonise.
A breath of fresh air in the Commons
Jon Harvey might prove to be a breath of fresh air in the House of Commons, better than some of the comedians already there. Does any other country have bins or foxes stand in elections? It just seems so normal now in British politics, and makes for a great backdrop come the results.
Farage is getting nervous
I wouldn’t be so sure about the bin losing, and I reckon Farage is getting nervous. If he hasn’t already signed the papers to run, there’s a good chance he might just walk away.
Two more policies than Farage
He wants to conscript people who play loud music on public transport, as well as banning VAR – that’s two more policies than Farage and his Nasty Party have come up with so far. Come on the Count, say I.
Let Farage win uncontested
For what it’s worth, I think the bin chap should not run. Leave Farage to win uncontested – no kind of victory at all – and let the whole charade be resolved speedily and at the least cost to the taxpayer, putting Nige swiftly back in parliament to face the music. If he’s then suspended for the requisite number of days, he’d likely face a successful recall petition, at which point a real by-election could be triggered.
He has my vote
Clacton voting for Count Binface could finish Farage’s political life and win him the Clacton seat… and he has my vote. Flake 99s have been overpriced for far too long.
Better than any conventional politician
The great thing about Binface is he highlights the absurdity of Farage better than any conventional politician. Remember that Martin Bell beat the dodgy Neil Hamilton. It is not beyond credibility that Binface can win here – much depends on how quickly the scales are falling from Clacton’s eyes.
Same, but different
Just like Farage, he is intelligent and capable of drawing media attention with something ridiculous. But I also see a big difference: empathy. On that characteristic, they are complete opposites. I think Parliament will be better off with him there, instead of the alternative candidate.
Some of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity.
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