In the unpredictable realm of British politics, timing is crucial, much like in comedy, as demonstrated by a long-standing joke candidate who dons a garbage can on his head.
Count Binface, claiming to be an intergalactic space warrior, has emerged prominently in UK politics ahead of a special election on Thursday. This election, considered a farce, features nearly three dozen candidates, many leaning towards the humorous spectrum.
Binface, known for his past electoral battles against prime ministers, was the first to enter the race after Reform UK leader Nigel Farage unexpectedly resigned from Parliament, seeking reelection to defend himself against financial allegations.
Following Farage’s announcement, Binface declared, “Game on, Nige,” positioning himself as the defender of the people against the establishment. However, when major political parties criticized Farage’s move as a stunt and boycotted the Clacton-on-Sea election in southeastern England, Binface became the de facto challenger, embarking on a relentless media campaign.
“I’m the only fresh thing on the menu,” Binface told The Associated Press during a day of interviews with media outlets from Japan, the Netherlands, Italy, and Germany. “You’re all sick of these politicians, as good as they’re trying to be, but you know you need something different, a little bit of secret sauce.”
The humor has been ongoing, and not all jokes are from the man with a 20-point agenda. Rachel Reeves, then-Treasury Secretary, remarked, “If (Farage) wants to spend the summer arguing with a bin, I won’t stop him,” as she accepted Farage’s resignation and paved the way for the special election.
The man behind the mask is a comedian who keeps a lid on his identity
Behind Binface’s black cape, rubbish bin, and sci-fi-like body armor is Jon Harvey, a middle-aged comedian enduring a hot summer. Harvey remains in character as Binface, providing witty replies when asked to reveal himself.
He referenced “Return of the Jedi” when asked by a BBC host if he would reveal his identity, saying, “Nobody wants to know what’s under the recycling. … It’s absolutely putrefying.”
Harvey, a married father of two from London and an Oxford classics graduate, has written for TV shows like “The Thick of It” and “Have I Got News for You.” He authored a sports memoir after his brother’s death and Binface’s memoir, “What on Earth? An Alien’s Guide to Fixing Britain.”
Binface was born out of a copyright dispute over a bucket
In Britain, where almost anyone can run for office, eccentric candidates are part of the electoral tradition. The Clacton ballot features three Monster Raving Loony Party members, including Nick the Incredible Flying Brick and Baron von Thunderclap.
Harvey’s political journey began about a decade ago when he arrived as Lord Buckethead from the fictional planet Sigma IX to contest the House of Commons seat held by then-Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May. Though May won, Binface gained fame and appeared on “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.”
The use of Lord Buckethead, originally from a “Star Wars” parody, led to a copyright conflict. Consequently, he rebranded as Binface to challenge Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak.
He also twice opposed London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who noted in his 2024 victory speech that he was the first to win successive victories against Binface. “Believe me, he made me work hard for it,” Khan quipped.
In June, Binface lost a parliamentary special election to Andy Burnham, who swiftly succeeded Keir Starmer as prime minister following Labour Party setbacks against Farage’s party in local and regional elections.
Platform includes a dubious tax policy and a hot take on hand dryers
As leader of the “Recyclons” from his home planet, Binface continues to recycle items from past campaign manifestos, blending absurd and localized policies that may not resonate globally.
Among his proposals, he pledges to “cut your taxes, and raise everyone else’s,” build a single affordable home, and nationalize singer Adele, whatever that entails.
One promise that has drawn attention is relocating the hand dryer in the men’s restroom at the Crown & Treaty pub in Uxbridge for practicality. He questioned, “Do you want to be using the urinal and have another human blasting your bits with insanely hot air?”
Binface’s main appeal is being the non-Farage option, though he avoids direct attacks. His platform subtly criticizes Farage, often pictured with a pint of beer.
Referring to a gift Farage failed to declare, which is under parliamentary investigation, Binface asserted he would decline $6.7-million gifts from “crypto billionaires (on Earth).”
He also suggested barring MPs resigning midterm from contesting the subsequent by-election and vowed to spend more time in Clacton than in Washington, DC, alluding to Farage’s visits to the U.S., where he aligns with President Donald Trump.
Candidate seeks a more perfect union with the United States
Should he win, Binface has no plans to engage with Trump, calling him “awful.” Instead, he hopes to strengthen the UK-US “special relationship” through what he terms a “galactic union.”
“You’ve still got the Atlantic Ocean. I can’t do much about that, but yes, I’d love to foster better relations,” he said.
Binface admits he doesn’t expect victory, but if he achieves an extraordinary triumph, he would need to remove his headgear upon entering the House of Commons due to rules against costumes, which require formal attire.
He mentioned that some MPs are contemplating an exception.
“You might think they should be trying to fix the British economy, healthcare system and infrastructure first,” he remarked.
However, those are issues for serious politicians, unlike his platform, which includes price caps on croissants and a scheme to penalize misbehaving cyclists by making them ride unicycles.
