Count Binface, the satirical political candidate and 5,000-year-old space warrior, has lambasted BBC Newsnight after presenter Paddy O'Connell urged him to remove his signature bin-lid headgear during a live interview. The exchange occurred after Binface announced his intention to stand against Nigel Farage in the upcoming Clacton-on-Sea by-election.
Binface refuses to unmask on live TV
During the Newsnight segment, O'Connell pressed Binface to discard his headwear, saying: 'Why don't you bin off the bin on Newsnight now? We know that your name is Jon, we know really a lot about you. Isn't it time for serious times, to bin off the bin?'
Binface retorted with a Star Wars reference: 'Has anyone seen Return of the Jedi? Nobody wants to know what's underneath a Recyclon, it's disgusting. It's absolutely putrifying.' He then escalated his criticism of the programme, stating: 'You get me on Newsnight and you start trying to deconstruct a character. I would say, what are we doing here, on a programme which used to construct proper investigative journalism and now is a souped-up podcast.'
O'Connell defends transparency
O'Connell countered that viewers tune into the 'souped-up podcast' for transparency, adding: 'That's the point. You're not transparent, and that's the criticism being made of Nigel Farage.'
Count Binface, created by comedian Jonathan David Harvey, is running as an independent candidate in the Clacton by-election after Farage announced his resignation as MP for the region—only to declare he would run again for the same seat. Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, and Restore Britain have all opted not to field candidates, leaving Binface as Farage's main rival.
Manifesto pledges include affordable housing and moving a hand dryer
Binface has tailored his manifesto to local issues while retaining his broader policies, which include building at least one affordable house, nationalising Adele, bringing back Ceefax, and moving the hand dryer in the gents' toilet at the Crown and Treaty pub in Uxbridge to a more sensible position. 'As you know, it's a national issue,' he said in a BBC Breakfast interview.
According to bookmakers William Hill, Binface now has 4/1 odds of winning the Clacton seat. Harvey, who graduated from Oxford University with a degree in classics, has written for satirical shows including The Thick of It and Have I Got News for You.
Previous electoral performances
Harvey last stood for office in the Makerfield by-election against Andy Burnham, where he received 95 votes compared to Burnham's 24,842. He also stood against then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency in 2019, receiving 69 votes.
When asked by BBC Breakfast's Sarah Campbell whether he could win, Binface—calling from 'space'—replied: 'Probably not, but you know what, it's the taking part that counts.' He said his role was to demonstrate the wonders of British democracy.
MPs consider allowing bin lid in Parliament
Despite his satirical nature, some MPs are reportedly preparing to ask the Speaker for permission to allow Count Binface to wear his signature space suit and bin head if he wins the by-election, though this would contravene rules requiring clothing that demonstrates 'respect for the House.'
