Count Binface Says Voting for Him Would Save Britain £380,000 in Nigel Farage's By-Election

Count Binface says voters in Clacton could save the taxpayer an estimated £380,000 by electing him instead of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage in the forthcoming by-election, arguing it would avoid the possibility of a second vote if a parliamentary standards investigation later leads to a recall petition.

The comedian Jon Harvey, who campaigns as Count Binface, has said he intends to stand after Farage resigned as MP for Clacton before immediately seeking re-election. Farage says he wants a fresh mandate from voters, describing the contest as 'the people versus the establishment', while denying any wrongdoing over questions surrounding his financial declarations.

Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party have all said they will not contest the seat, leaving Count Binface as Farage's only declared challenger so far in what is expected to be a heavily one-sided contest.

Why Count Binface Says He Could Save £380,000

Speaking to the BBC, Count Binface argued that if Farage is re-elected and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards later concludes he breached Commons rules, a suspension of sufficient length could trigger a recall petition, forcing voters in Clacton to elect another MP.

He said electing him instead would remove that possibility and save taxpayers an estimated £380,000, which he said was the cost of holding another parliamentary by-election.

'If you vote Binface, you save the British taxpayer £380,000 without me doing anything,' he said, joking that the money could instead go to the Ministry of Defence.

His argument relates to a Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards investigation into a £5 million donation from Thailand-based cryptocurrency investor Christopher Harborne. Farage says the money was a personal gift that funded his security before entering Parliament and maintains he complied with Commons rules.

Under Commons procedures, standards investigations are paused when an MP resigns but resume if they return to Parliament.

Count Binface's Satirical Campaign

Although he acknowledged he was unlikely to win, Count Binface said he still needed the required 10 local nominations to appear on the ballot.

'Probably not. But it's the taking part that counts,' he told the BBC, describing his campaign as an example of how anyone should be able to stand for election.

Harvey has previously stood against Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak, Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham under the Count Binface persona, combining satirical campaign promises with commentary on British politics.

His long-running pledges include nationalising Adele, abolishing the Video Assistant Referee system in football and restoring the price of a 99 Flake to 99p, while local promises are tailored to whichever constituency he contests.

What Happens if Farage Wins?

Farage remains the overwhelming favourite to retain the Clacton seat after the major political parties opted not to field candidates. He has described the contest as 'the people versus the establishment' and says voters should decide whether they continue to support him.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer criticised the resignation, saying Farage was 'up to his neck in sleaze' and accusing him of trying to avoid scrutiny over the standards investigation. Farage rejects those claims.

If Farage is returned to Parliament, the Parliamentary Commissioner's investigation into his financial declarations is expected to resume, meaning the questions that prompted the by-election are unlikely to disappear once voting has finished.