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Evening Standard

Politics

Tom Place and Rachael Burford

Binface to Loonies: All the fringe candidates fighting Nigel Farage in Clacton by-election

Nigel Farage Clacton Count Binface Laurence Fox Piers Corbyn Conservatives Greens Restore Britain the Labour party Jeremy Corbyn

Count Binface and three Monster Raving Loonies will fight Nigel Farage in the upcoming Clacton by-election after major political parties boycotted the poll.

A record 34 candidates are running in the vote on August 13, including 20 independents and a number of joke contenders.

But other than Reform, the Social Democratic Party and Rejoin EU will be the only other established political parties to fight the election.

Reform UK leader Mr Farage has been accused of using the vote as a “distraction” amid mounting questions surrounding his personal finances.

He was being investigated by the Commons standards watchdog over an undeclared £5 million gift from Thailand-based crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne, and is facing further scrutiny over funding provided by convicted fraudster George Cottrell.

Mr Farage said he would again for the Essex seat in what he billed as a "people versus the establishment" by-election.

Nigel Farage has triggered a by-election in Clacton as he faces questions about his finances (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (PA Wire)

According to Tendring District Council, the the vote will see the highest number of candidates to stand in a by-election in modern times.

The Labour Party, the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Greens and Restore Britain will not be standing.

Some minor parties, as well as a number of independent candidates - including Count Binface - will be Mr Farage’s challengers.

So who is actually standing? Here are the candidates taking on Mr Farage.

Count Binface

Satirical candidate Count Binface will appear on the ballot - and has had his odds slashed by bookmakers in recent days.

The creation of comedian Jon Harvey, Count Binface stood in the London mayoral elections in 2021 and 2024.

He also stood twice against Boris Johnson, once against Rishi Sunak, and stood in the Makerfield by-election in June.

Previously known as Lord Buckethead, the Count said: “Nigel Farage says he wants The People versus the Establishment. So be it. Leave him to me.”

Sir Keir Starmer has appeared to give his backing to the independent candidate.

Asked during his final Prime Minister’s Questions whether Mr Farage and Count Binface should take part in a televised debate, he responded that Reform "intend to spend the summer arguing with the bin".

"My advice to everyone is put your vote in the bin."

Laurence Fox

The former actor and leader of the Reclaim Party is standing.

“We’re coming because we respect the voters of Clacton and also to elevate the Fight on the Right,” he wrote on social media.

Mr Fox also criticised the lack of candidates from mainstream parties in the by-election.

British actor-turned-politician & activist Laurence Fox (AFP/Getty)

He said: "If I was a canvasser for any of the established political parties I would be pretty miffed that my party leaders had decided not to represent my voice just because they hate Nigel so much.

"What a state British politics is in when political parties don’t stand in elections. This is meant to be a democracy. People should have options when choosing who to vote for."

According to the party website, Reclaim exists to challenge “woke orthodoxy” and promote “freedom of speech”, which it sees as being “under grave peril”.

John Stevens, Rejoin EU

John Stevens, the deputy leader of the Rejoin EU Party, is standing.

He is a former Conservative MEP.

Monster Raving Loony Party

Not one but three Monster Raving Loony Party members are standing in the poll.

Leader Howling Laud Hope is a candidate, alongside Nick the Incredible Flying Brick and Baron Von Thunderclap.

It will be Hope’s 38th election. The satirical group, which was formed in 1982, has run on a manifesto comprising of pledges such as allowing every UK voter to be prime minister for “15 minutes in their lifetime”.

William Clouston, Social Democratic Party

The Social Democratic Party’s William Clouston is one of the candidates standing in Clacton from an established political party.

Adham Alkhatip, Forward Party

Forward Party leader Adham Alkhatip announced his candidacy on TikTok, saying he will run on an “anti-corruption, pro-worker” platform.

Kai Stephens, British Democrats

Kai Stephens is running for the British Democrats, a party formed as a splinter of the far-right British National Party in 2011 and officially launched in 2013.