A trash can named 'Count Binface' stood for elections in the UK and won 27% of the vote

A candidate with a very unusual name turned heads during the recent Clacton by-election in the UK. British writer Jonathan David Harvey, also known by his alter ego, Count Binface, was one of the candidates during the election. He wears a trash can-shaped helmet and calls himself "an independent space warrior." Even though Count Binface did not win the election, he came surprisingly close. He was defeated by the Leader of Reform UK, Nigel Farage, who secured 63% of the votes, NBC News reported on August 14, 2026. 

Surprising numbers

Earlier this year, Farage left his seat in July after a certain crypto controversy. He promised to come back and contest for the open seat just to prove that he still had the people's support. Surprisingly, he did. Out of the 44% turnout, Farage secured 63% of the votes, but people were also surprised that Count Binface managed to come in second place. Out of the 34 candidates who contested, Binface secured 27% (9,455) of the votes, as revealed by the BBC.

Lost, but won

Farage did not attend the announcement of the results, which allowed Count Binface to take another dig at the politician. Binface declared himself the winner. "I came first in the Clacton by-election! Of the candidates who bothered to turn up for the results," he wrote in his victory speech video. He added, "We know this for a fact. Over one in four people in this constituency would rather have Camp Binface as their MP than the leader of Reform UK, and I'm just getting started."

Past elections

The 2026 Clacton by-election was not Count Binface's first rodeo. He had contested against other prominent politicians, including former British prime minister Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak, and more. He contested during the 2019 General Election but received only 69 votes. In 2021, he appeared for the London Mayor Election and won 92,896 votes. In 2023, he also contested the Uxbridge & South Ruislip by-election and received 190 votes. During the 2024 London Mayor Election, he managed to secure 24,260 votes, and lastly, during the General Election in 2024, he won 308 votes. Over the years, Count Binface's popularity has grown steadily, each campaign helping the satirical candidate attract more attention.

The world is cheering for Binface

Even though he came second, people from all over the world were cheering for him in his 'Victory Speech' video. @thesmithselvis commented, "Greetings from the Republic of Ireland. Congratulations, Count Binface, on a brilliant election result. You are the real winner." @Wae-DI added, "25%+ is amazing! Been following the race from here in America. I love what you're doing and wish you could bring the act over here. The next time I visit Britain, I will definitely visit the nearly unique Naze Tower. Thanks for putting Clacton and its surrounding area on the map!"

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