Voters in the English seaside town of Clacton went to the polls Thursday in a by-election that pits Reform UK leader Nigel Farage against Count Binface, a satirical candidate dressed as a trash can.
Farage, who was elected MP for Clacton in 2024, resigned last month to trigger the vote after a parliamentary investigation was launched into an undisclosed £5m ($6.74m) gift from Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based cryptocurrency billionaire. Farage has insisted the donation, made before he became an MP, was not linked to his political career and that he had done nothing wrong. The investigation was suspended when he resigned on 7 July but is expected to resume if he returns to parliament.
The other main parties are boycotting the contest, with Labour calling it a political stunt. As a result, Count Binface has become Farage's main challenger. Binface, who frequently stands in high-profile elections, promises to build at least one affordable house, nationalise singer Adele, and cut taxes while raising everyone else's.
Three Monster Raving Loony Party candidates, numerous independents, and Reclaim Party leader Laurence Fox are also on the ballot, bringing the total to 34 candidates. Farage is expected to win by a landslide, though Binface would face derision if he wins more than 5% of the vote, an unusual result for a joke candidate.
The vote comes as Reform's national poll lead has faded. The party topped national polls for over a year until Andy Burnham succeeded Keir Starmer as prime minister last month, after which Labour enjoyed a bounce.