Archive · 14 Aug 2026
Farage vs Count Binface in Clacton by-election shunned by parties
People in a seaside town called Clacton went to vote in a special election.
Their member of Parliament, Nigel Farage, quit the job a few weeks before.
He quit because a grown-up group that checks on politicians is looking into his money.
They think he may have hidden some gifts he received, but he says he did nothing wrong.
The two biggest political parties in Britain did not join the election because they think it is just a trick.
So many other candidates ran instead, including a funny one called Count Binface who wears a rubbish bin on his head.
Lots of people think Count Binface might get as many as one out of every five votes.
Most people still think Mr. Farage will win.
Many people in the town say the whole election is silly and unfair to them.
Nigel Farage resigned his Clacton seat on July 7 amid a parliamentary investigation into his finances, triggering Thursday's by-election.
Labour and the Conservatives shunned the vote, leaving a record 33 fringe candidates, including Count Binface, on the ballot.
Analysts predict a Farage win but say joke candidate Count Binface could take up to 20 percent of the vote.
The probe covers a 5 million pound ($6.7 million) donation from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne, while London police are investigating donations to Reform.
Turnout is expected to fall to around 43 percent of the constituency's 80,000 registered voters, down from nearly 59 percent in 2024.
- Who
- Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, alongside joke candidate Count Binface and dozens of other fringe candidates in Clacton.
- What
- A by-election triggered by Farage's resignation amid a parliamentary finances probe, shunned by Labour and the Conservatives and contested by a record 33 fringe candidates.
- When
- Voting and counting took place Thursday, with a result expected by Friday morning; Farage resigned the seat on July 7.
- Where
- The Clacton constituency in eastern Essex, England.
- Why
- Farage resigned over allegations that he and Richard Tice failed to declare financial gifts, and he framed the vote as 'the people of Clacton versus the Establishment.'
Critics and mainstream parties
Farage and his supporters
By-election as farce or serious vote
Critics and mainstream parties
Labour, the Conservatives and analysts dismissed the vote as a stunt to dodge scrutiny, with professor Stijn van Kessel saying Farage's plan failed and 'makes Farage look rather silly.'
Farage and his supporters
Farage framed the vote as 'the people of Clacton versus the Establishment,' and supporter Jane Embelton said he does not look like an idiot to him or his supporters.
Mainstream party absence
Critics and mainstream parties
The main parties shunned the election as a publicity exercise by the Reform UK leader.
Farage and his supporters
Some Clacton voters, such as Paul, accused mainstream parties of 'disrespecting the people of Clacton' by not running candidates.
Financial investigation
Critics and mainstream parties
The parliamentary watchdog is probing allegations that Farage and Richard Tice failed to declare financial gifts, and London police are investigating donations to Reform from before the 2024 election.
Farage and his supporters
Farage and Tice deny any wrongdoing, call the probe a 'stitch-up,' and Farage says the people of Clacton should be the judges of his actions.
- By-election seat
- Clacton constituency, eastern Essex
- Predicted winner
- Nigel Farage (Reform UK)
- Predicted vote share for Count Binface
- Up to 20 percent
- Fringe candidates
- 33 (a record)
- Registered voters
- About 80,000
- Expected turnout
- About 43 percent (was nearly 59 percent in 2024)
- Donation under scrutiny
- 5 million pounds ($6.7 million) from Christopher Harborne
- Result expected
- Friday morning