Oxford University’s Count Binface to challenge Nigel Farage

Reform UK’s leader Mr Farage announced he was stepping down as an MP yesterday (Tuesday, July 7) but would run in the subsequent by-election.

This came after he was put under intense scrutiny about undeclared gifts and financial support before he was first elected.

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The politician maintains he has done nothing wrong, and claimed the people of Clacton “should be the judges of my actions” after accusing the media and his political opponents of being part of an establishment effort to attack him.

The main Westminster parties have said they are boycotting the contest, with Mr Farage’s highest-profile opponent likely to be the masked novelty candidate Count Binface, although former actor Laurence Fox has also indicated he may run.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage at the the Plough pub (Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)

Independent space warrior Count Binface has stood in a number of elections, most recently in the 2026 Makerfield by-election which was won by Andy Burnham.

He describes himself as the leader of the Recyclons from the planet Sigma IX, and claims to be over 5,900 years old.

On announcing his candidacy, the rubbish bin said: “I will be a unity candidate and pledge to build at least one affordable house.

“Nigel Farage says he wants the people versus the establishment. So be it. Leave him to me.”

Count Binface is a character created by Jonathan David Harvey, who studied at Oxford University achieving a BA in classics and classical languages, literatures and linguistics.

Laurence Fox recently appeared in an Oxford Union debate (Image: Callum Stove)

On his LinkedIn he said that he has earned over 117,000 votes to date, featured on shows such as Have I Got News For You and been profiled in The Washington Post.

Technically, MPs cannot resign and must instead be appointed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to be steward and bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds or the Manor of Northstead, symbolic roles which bar them from the Commons.

Rachel Reeves said she had approved Mr Farage’s request even though “it is a farce and a desperate distraction, and the people of Clacton deserve better”.

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“But if he wants to spend the summer arguing with a bin, I won’t stop him,” she added.

Count Binface was interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this week where he said he was defending British democracy.

He said: “The fact that you are interviewing me on the Today programme, because all the other parties aren’t standing, says more about them than it does about me.

“Are they running scared from old Binny, or do they think that Nigel’s running a cunning stunt? And I pronounced that carefully at 8.55 in the morning.”