Nigel Farage's ambitions to become Prime Minister may have been undermined by Count Binface, according to political experts. They believe the Reform UK leader's reputation has been tarnished as the Clacton by-election has become a "joke".
Backfired plans
Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, told the Daily Star that Mr Farage's by-election plans have "backfired", making it harder for voters to take him seriously as a potential PM. He said: "There's no doubt that Farage's attempt to distract voters from the stories about his and his party's finances has backfired."
"Because all of the serious political parties refused to fall into his trap, the by-election has attracted far less attention than it would otherwise have done. And what there has been has, partly down to Count Binface, treated the whole thing as a joke, making it more difficult for Farage to be taken seriously as a potential prime minister."
Resignation and investigation
Mr Farage's resignation came after a parliamentary probe over a £5m gift from a billionaire donor which was not registered. Under rules in place at the time, new MPs were required to register any gifts worth more than £300 they received in the previous 12 months – except where the gift "could not be reasonably thought by others" to relate to their political activities.
Prof Bale claimed Mr Farage's resignation plan, which is seeing him contest the Clacton by-election this week, is a costly "waste of time" and might not even end the investigation into his finances. He added: "But given that he'll then face a continuation of the investigation he was under, the whole thing will look like an expensive waste of time to most other people."
Serious consequences
Richard Toye, a professor of modern history at the University of Exeter, argued the "joke" election could have serious consequences for both Mr Farage and may highlight a "vulnerability" in Reform UK. He wrote on The Conversation website: "Danny Kruger, the Reform UK MP for East Wiltshire, told the House of Commons that politics is not a joke, criticising rivals for lining up behind a comedian in a dustbin costume."
"His reaction suggests that Reform UK is a party that senses its own vulnerability to ridicule, rather than one confident enough to shrug it off. But Kruger’s reaction also overlooks an important point: that ‘joke’ candidates belong to a long and consequential tradition in Britain."
He added the bizarre by-election, which takes place on Thursday (August 13), could arm critics of Mr Farage with "ammunition" against him which could be used against him for the rest of his career. The professor said: "Whether or not Farage takes the Clacton seat, the number of voters who chose Binface instead may be used as ammunition by critics and comedians for the rest of his career."
