Comedian and “independent space warrior” Count Binface hails from a long line of British joke candidates. Real-name Jonathan Harvey, Count Binface made his political debut in 2017, then known as “Lord Buckethead,” before he was forced to change his campaigning name to Count Binface after running into copyright issues.
Count Binface is famous for wearing a space-themed outfit and a trash can helmet while campaigning.
An outspoken self-described supporter of democracy, Count Binface most recently ran in a Makerfield by-election that saw the return of Andy Burnham to Parliament, who served as mayor of Greater Manchester from 2017 to 2026. The Makerfield by-election had been created as an opportunity for Burnham to return and mount a leadership challenge to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has since announced his resignation. Binface received 95 votes, good for 0.2%.
Harvey has also run unsuccessfully in previous general elections against former British Prime Ministers Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson, as well as the London Mayoral election against Sadiq Khan.
While always on the periphery of these races, however, he might find himself in a head to head contest with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage who dramatically announced his resignation from Parliament Tuesday, triggering a by-election which he intends to run in. Farage, who is under investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over an undisclosed gift worth $6.7 million, framed the by-election as the “people versus the establishment” referendum.
But other major parties haven’t taken the bait, calling Farage’s bluff and refusing to put up candidates to face him in his safe seat of Clacton.
So far, only Count Binface has announced definitive plans to run against Farage, which will turn the whole event into something of a political sideshow.
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“I will be a unity candidate and pledge to build at least one affordable house,” he said. “Nigel Farage says he wants The People versus the Establishment. So be it.”
The eccentric candidate has previously called for nationalizing the English singer Adele because of her one-woman GDP boost and creativity, according to a 2024 interview with the Guardian, and said beating the Britain First Party by 4,000 votes is his greatest achievement. The right-leaning Britain First Party platform calls for deporting all illegal immigrants and for abolishing Britain’s controversial Human Rights Act.