Count Binface wins hearts, if not the election, in bid to defeat Trump ally Nigel Farage in U.K.

Count Binface may have come up short in the by-election against Nigel Farage, but don't throw his popularity in the trash just yet. The candidate wearing a garbage can on his head just won over a quarter of the votes in a contest against one of Britain's most famous politicians.

The longtime satirical candidate had his best showing yet in a surreal campaign triggered by Farage's own resignation.

Binface has a simple message to voters: " I'm here to take out the trash. " (In the U.K., a trash can is called a bin, though, so his name might go over some Americans' heads.)

A mainstay of British politics, Binface has been on the ballot in several elections over the past few years.

The man behind the trash can is satirist Jonathan Harvey, and Binface continues a long tradition of quirky political candidates in U.K. elections. В края на краищата, музикант на име Screaming Lord Sutch, създател на Official Monster Raving Loony Party, държи върха за присъединяване в най-вече парламентарни избори: 39 гласа, обхващащи от 60-те до 90-те години.

Първо, приемайки облеклото на предходен нов претендент, Binface се кандидатира като Lord Buckethead против тогавашното Обединено кралство. Министър-председателят Тереза ​​Мей. Then, he adopted the moniker of Count Binface, competing against the likes of Boris Johnson and, most recently, current U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

He, of course, lost all those races, and received very few votes. Това е първият път, когато той прекрачи прага от 5%, който му връща депозита от 500 паунда (около $677), с цел да тече.

След провалянето си, Binface няма да може да приложи своята обширна и, някои биха споделили, радикална предизборна стратегия, която включваше национализиране на Адел, понижаване на вашите налози, до момента в който повишаваше тези на всички останали и създаване на „ най-малко един наличен house. "

The election featured a record 34 candidates, which created a comically long paper ballot, with the Reform U.K. Party's Farage taking about 63% of the votes.

But still, there was a marked difference in Binface's candidacy this time, where he won 9,455 votes, or about 27%. Той си обезпечи единствено 95 гласа в предизвикването си против Бърнам.

Самите избори в четвъртък бяха малко фарс, тъй че може би сатиричният претендент беше съвършената опора за Фараж. An ally of President Trump who has led a surging far-right, populist movement in the U.K., Farage resigned in early July as a lawmaker to trigger the special election.

" I've decided that the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions, " Farage said when he announced his resignation.

" This will be a people versus the establishment by-election, " he said, calling it " a chance to stick two fingers up to the entire establishment to frankly tell them where to go. "

The move was thought at the time to be a high-risk political gamble to renew his mandate from voters as he faced mounting pressure over a scandal connected to failing to disclose financial gifts. Но кандидатурата на Binface стана по-жизнеспособна, когато всяка законна партия бойкотира изборите.

Преизбирането на Farage в този момент го прави сериозна опасност за Burnham на идващите национални избори. Тези избори би трябвало да бъдат свикани до август 2029 година, само че министър-председателят може също да ги свика когато и да е преди този момент. Most recently, Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigned after he lost the support of many within his party, and fellow Labour Party member Burnham was chosen to replace him.

Of course, a surging Count Binface would also be a natural to run in 2029 as well.

Frank Andrews contributed to this report.

© 2026 CBS Interactive Inc. Всички права непокътнати.

CBS Новини 24/7

Авторско право ©2026 CBS Interactive Inc. Всички права непокътнати.