‘Genuinely funny, astute and compassionate’: Readers rally behind Binface ahead of Clacton by-election

Nigel Farage’s decision to resign as MP for Clacton and call a by-election has left him facing a single opponent: comedian Jon Harvey’s double-headed alter ego, Count Binface.

Farage’s critics described the move by the Reform England leader as a stunt to bypass the standard investigation into undeclared gifts, including £5 million from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne.

In addition to agreeing with criticism, Independent Readers also had a lot to say about Farage’s unlikely rival.

Many praised Harvey as “genuinely funny, intelligent and compassionate”, and many argued that his empathy set him apart from Farage. Some readers went further, insisting that real sadness was not as remote a possibility as one might think.

Others were less convinced, arguing that the joke candidate trivialized the contest and that a stronger statement could have been made by leaving Farage unchallenged.

Here’s what you need to say:

Zelenskyy was also a comedian

Please note that Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also a former comedian. Who knows where the hidden talent lives? I hope Count Binface beats Farage so soundly that Farage loses his electoral deposit.

MrTampaBay

There’s a real person under that trash can

Count Binface, despairing of politics and the madness of the last few weeks, has drawn me back, and hope may be revived. There is a real person under that trash can, intelligent and imaginative. So can Jaywick and Clacton rise to the challenge?

Break

The only real hurdle is reliability

Ironically, Binface is the ideal candidate to counter Farage. The main thing that drives people to vote against Farage is their anger at him, and the prospect of seeing the look on his face when he loses to Count Binface is a strong reason. The only real obstacle is reliability; People need to believe it is possible. But if the polls show Binface has even the slightest chance, it could snowball very quickly.

ajames

Funny, smart and caring

He’s really funny, smart and caring. In any debate Farage would be completely humiliated by him. Let’s make it happen, Clacton.

MedicineDog

Humor is a powerful equalizer

Farage received just 26.98 per cent of the Clacton constituency vote in the 2024 general election. Meanwhile, Count Binface has set up a ko-fi donation page limited to £3 per person: as of Thursday evening, around 26,657 people had contributed, which is around £80,000 against a spending limit of £180,050. Isn’t it worth £3 to see Farage humiliated by a man with a bin over his head? Humor is a very powerful equalizer.

checkpointcharlie

From Conservatives to Corbynite Greens

I think Binface is the ideal candidate behind whom the anti-Farage coalition, from the Tories to the Corbynite Greens, could unite and have a great laugh doing it. Wouldn’t that be pretty awesome?

Elizabethz

Comedians must be smart

Comedians are generally very smart. They must be so in order to enter the minds of others. When politicians try to do this, they often fail because they are looking for a group to demonize, not to laugh at.

FreeLife

A new breath in the House of Commons

Jon Harvey might be a better breath of fresh air in the House of Commons than some of the comedians already there. Do bins or foxes stand at elections in any other country? This now seems very normal in British politics and the results provide a wonderful backdrop.

leaf spot

Farage is starting to get angry

I’m not so sure the bin will disappear and I think Farage is getting nervous. If he hasn’t yet signed the paperwork required to run for office, there’s a good chance he’ll walk away.

AFTGTSIV

Two more policies from Farage

He wants to draft people who play loud music on public transport and ban VAR; This is more than just the two policies Farage and his Nasty Party have put forward so far. Come on, Count, I’ll tell you.

Jasper

Let Farage win undisputed

I think the trash should not be escaped no matter what. Let Farage win undisputed – it’s certainly not a victory – and let the whole charade be resolved quickly and at minimal cost to taxpayers, quickly putting Nige back in parliament to face the music. If he is then suspended for the required number of days, he will likely face a successful recall petition, at which point an actual by-election could be triggered.

Richie Aprile

My vote belongs to him

A Clacton vote for Count Binface could end Farage’s political life and win him the Clacton seat… and he has my vote. Flake 99s have been overpriced for far too long.

Spycatcher

Better than any traditional politician

The great thing about Binface is that he highlights Farage’s absurdity better than any traditional politician. Don’t forget Martin Bell beat the dangerous Neil Hamilton. It’s not beyond belief that Binface was able to win here; depends largely on how quickly the scales fall in Clacton’s eyes.

fowl

Same but different

Like Farage, he is clever and has the ability to attract media attention with something absurd. But I also see a big difference: empathy. With these features, they are completely opposite to each other. I think it would be better for Parliament to have him there instead of an alternative candidate.

orval

Some of the comments in this article have been edited for brevity and clarity.

Would you like to share your opinions? To log in or register simply click ‘sign in’ or ‘sign up’ in the top right corner. Once you sign up, you can comment on the day’s top stories to showcase your views.

Want your voice to stand out? Independent Premium subscribers have priority in featured comments. Subscribe here.

Be sure to follow our community guidelines, which you can find here. Click here for a complete guide on how to comment.