There’s an uncharitable saying that politics is show business for ugly people. No doubt Count Binface, the rising star of British statecraft, might have some strong words about that.
The wannabe-politician, who last month stood in a by-election against Andy Burnham (widely considered the U.K.’s Prime Minister-in-waiting) is set to run against right-wing MP Nigel Farage in yet another upcoming by-election, triggered after the Reform U.K. leader resigned over an alleged undeclared £5 million ($6.7 million) gift.
Despite Farage’s resignation coming only two days ago, the ballot has already descended into a circus as the politician vowed to stand for re-election, resulting in all the other major political parties pulling their candidates over they’re calling a “political stunt.” Enter Count Binface, the comedian dressed as a trashcan with a serious point to make.
With betting shops now slashing the odds on Binface beating Farage, here’s everything you need to know about the caped container…
WHO IS COUNT BINFACE?
Count Binface is a 5,900-year-old intergalactic space warrior from the planet Sigma IX whose motto is “Make Earth Great Again.” He has stood in five elections since 2019, including the London Mayoral election, the 2024 general election, where he ran against then-incumbent Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and last month’s by-election in Makerfield against Andy Burnham, the Manchester mayor nicknamed “King of the North” whose win as a Labour MP prompted current Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s resignation (Burnham is expected to succeed Starmer without contest when he officially leaves the post).
While he may be a novelty candidate, the Count has plenty of ideas to transform the U.K. In fact, he expressed outrage on Wednesday, while being interviewed on BBC Radio’s 4 prestigious current affairs program “Today,” when host Justin Webb suggested Binface was “sparse” on policy. “How dare you?” the Count replied. “I’ve got a full and costed manifesto, Justin.”
He does indeed. Among his national policies are changing London Bridge’s name to Phoebe Waller Bridge, “nationalizing Adele,” building “at least one” affordable house and selecting himself as the U.K.’s Eurovision candidate for 2027.
ORIGIN STORY
Comedian Jon Harvey is the man inside the bin. A scriptwriter and producer who has worked with “Veep” showrunner Armando Iannucci, Harvey entered the 2017 general election on a whim as Lord Buckethead, a character not entirely dissimilar in outfit to Count Binface. He stood in then-Prime Minister Theresa May’s constituency on a platform of “strong, not entirely stable, leadership.” As the results came in, Harvey appeared on stage alongside the other candidates – including May — in a Maidenhead leisure center clad in a black leather outfit with a cape and a black bucket on his head, which he’d asked a friend to make for him for £500 ($669).
But the publicity attracted a tussle over the character’s copyright. Lord Buckethead had first appeared in 1984 “Star Wars” parody “Hyperspace” (sometimes known as “Gremloids”) written and directed by Todd Durham, who went on to create the “Hotel Transylvania” franchise. Harvey wasn’t the first person ever to don the Buckethead persona in a U.K. election (the character had even stood against Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s) but he was the first in the age of social media. After the image of Buckethead alongside Theresa May went viral, he attracted hundreds of thousands of Twitter followers as well as Durham’s attention.
Harvey told The Guardian in 2019 that while conversations with the director were initially friendly, they later “broke down” and he was forced to hand over the password to the Lord Buckethead Twitter account. Although it spelled the end of his time as the Darth Vader-inspired character, it wasn’t the end of his political career and Harvey soon rebranded.
Lord Buckethead had walked so Count Binface could run — which he did, against the next Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2019.
Count Binface on “Newsnight” on July 8, 2026
WINNING IS NO JOKE
While Count Binface has been part of Britain’s political scene now for the better part of a decade, for the first time ever he has a real prospect of winning, with no major parties fielding candidates in the Clacton by-election. As social media users have put it: “The people of Clacton have the chance to do the funniest thing ever” – that is elect Binface over Farage. Green energy tycoon Dale Vince is offering to fund him while efforts are already underway to see if Parliamentary rules preventing face coverings can be amended to ensure Count Binface is allowed to wear his full costume in the Houses of Parliament.
The prospect has certainly lit up broadcast media, leading to appearances on a host of otherwise sedate political programs. On Wednesday — the day after Binface confirmed he would stand against Farage — he appeared on ITV’s “Good Morning Britain,” where hosts Ed Balls and Susanna Reid were barely able to keep a straight face as Binface appeared remotely with an image of space as his background, telling the duo he was prepared to face Farage “mano a bino.”
He also popped up on BBC Breakfast, where presenter Sarah Campbell appeared much less enthusiastic about interviewing a man with a trashcan on his head (something Binface was quick to call her on, saying “What a disgracefully scornful tone” as she wearily asked a question) and even turned up in person on the BBC’s flagship news show “Newsnight,” sitting alongside a panel on the sofa clad in his full Count Binface regalia.
When urged repeatedly by “Newsnight” host Paddy O’Connell to “bin off the bin” and answer questions as Harvey, he refused, calling the show “a souped-up podcast.” A BBC insider tells Variety that despite the clash, political editor Nick Watt, a fellow panellist, “looked very happy next to Count Binface on the sofa.” The insider added: “I would have given anything for a selfie.”
Binface was even referenced in the House of Commons on Wednesday, when new BBC boss Matt Brittin gave evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport committee. While discussing the BBC’s impartiality requirements, one MP enquired whether Binface would get “the same amount of coverage from the BBC as Nigel Farage” were he to be the only other candidate at the Clacton by-election.
On Thursday evening Binface is set to perform a sold-out gig at London’s Museum of Comedy (the show is titled a “(Moral) Victory Rally”) but with a real election victory in his sights, he may soon be spending more time on the national stage than the comedy one.
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