Count Binface, the self-described 'intergalactic space warrior', has announced he will stand against Nigel Farage in the upcoming Clacton by-election. Farage resigned as MP for Clacton-on-Sea on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, triggering the contest. The Reform UK leader is under investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner over a £5 million gift from cryptocurrency tycoon Christopher Harborne and undeclared funding from ally George Cottrell.
Farage's Resignation and Investigation
In a video statement, Farage said: "I have done nothing wrong. I have not broken the law in any way at all." He insisted the £5m gift from Harborne was given on an "unconditional basis" and accused the Sunday Times of using standards as a "political tool." Farage described the by-election as a "people versus the establishment" fight.
Major parties including Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, and Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain have all declined to field candidates. This leaves Count Binface as Farage's highest-profile opponent.
Who Is Count Binface?
Count Binface, real name Jonathan David Harvey, is a satirical candidate who has become a fixture in British elections. He claims to be a 5,900-year-old leader of the Recyclons from planet Sigma IX. His costume—a black and grey uniform with a silver cape and dustbin-shaped helmet—originates from the 1984 film Hyperspace. He first ran as 'Lord Buckethead' against Theresa May in 2017, then introduced Count Binface for the 2019 general election after a copyright claim.
Binface's manifesto includes whimsical policies such as forcing cyclists who break the highway code to ride unicycles, bringing back Ceefax, and renaming HS2 to FFS1. He also pledges to reduce 99 Flake ice creams to 99p, introduce conscription for former prime ministers, and rename London Bridge to "Phoebe Waller-Bridge."
Binface's Stance on Farage
Declaring his candidacy, Binface said: "I will be a unity candidate and pledge to build at least one affordable house. Nigel Farage says he wants the people versus the establishment. So be it. Leave him to me." On BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he added: "My job is to celebrate and defend the wonders of British democracy. ... Are they running scared from old Binny, or do they think that Nigel’s running a cunning stunt?"
Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who accepted Farage's resignation via the Manor of Northstead mechanism, remarked: "It is a farce and a desperate distraction, and the people of Clacton deserve better. But if he wants to spend the summer arguing with a bin, I won’t stop him."
