A record 34 candidates have been confirmed for the Clacton constituency by-election, triggered by the resignation of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage on 7 July. Farage quit as MP after increased scrutiny over his finances and a parliamentary investigation, but is standing again for the seat he won at the general election.
The list, posted outside Clacton Town Hall and published by Tendring District Council, contains 20 independents and a number of joke candidates. None of the main Westminster parties – Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats or the Green Party – are fielding a candidate, leaving Farage as the only contender from a Westminster party. The previous record for a by-election was 26 candidates, set at the Haltemprice and Howden by-election in July 2008, which was also ignored by the major parties.
“Nigel Farage faces 33 rivals in Clacton by-election, including Count Binface and Laurence Fox, in record field of candidates.”
Among Farage's highest-profile opponents are Count Binface, the novelty candidate who describes himself as a “recyclon”, and actor-turned-politician Laurence Fox. The Monster Raving Loony Party has three candidates: Nick The Incredible Flying Brick, Howling Laud Hope and Baron Von Thunderclap. Other candidates include William Stuart James Clouston (Social Democratic Party), Martin Davies (Freedom Alliance), Ketankumar Pipaliya (UK VOICE), James Ransley (Consensus Party) and several independents.
Count Binface, whose real identity is Jon Harvey, has long been a staple of British by-elections. But his candidacy has attracted criticism: a recent New Statesman article, headlined “Count Binface is the establishment at its worst”, carried the subhead “Nigel Farage is right”. The article recounts how the author, expecting an interview with the character, was instead met by a man holding a large bag – that man was “household name Jon Harvey”. The piece suggests that Binface has become part of the political establishment he purports to mock.
Voters in Clacton will go to the polls on 13 August. The full list of candidates is available on Tendring District Council’s website.
