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What I find interesting is that he seems to be the only candidate? Aren’t there actual political parties that could have produced legitimate candidates?

gostsamo 3mo ago
There were but decided not to stand candidates, likely fearing humiliating defeat.
- esskay 3mo ago
  Yeah no, if thats your takeaway then you've severely misunderstood the situation. They dont expect, nor want to win that seat. They want Nige to win it back so he's held accountable as thats in their interest. And then when he's likely ousted later this year they'll all run when theres another election.
robin_reala 3mo ago
The election was triggered because a populist politician being investigated for corruption decided to step down, triggering an election so that he could run again to theoretically prove that he was who the people wanted regardless of the corruption investigation. This backfired when every other party refused to field a candidate (that is, to go along with his plan), apart from Binface. So Farage’s “me vs the establishment” commentary is not going as he expected.
- bluehatbrit 3mo ago
  It's also worth noting that he's being investigated by the Parliamentary Standards Committee. Now that he has stepped down as an MP, that investigation would ordinarily be paused (and is from what I can tell). It would be resumed if he won but he gets a while to organise things before he has to face them again.
  - manarth 3mo ago
    And if the Standards Committee find sufficient wrong-doing to suspend an MP for 10 days or more, the suspension automatically triggers a recall-petition. If the recall-petition is signed by 10% or more of voters in that MP's constituency, this triggers a by-election. So there's a reasonable possibility that once the investigation concludes, there will be another by-election in Clacton.
buildfocus 3mo ago
The election is a re-election vote triggered by the MP already in the very safe seat, as a distraction from "where did all this money come from" investigations around him (which are also conveniently paused by this byelection). He's arguing that if he gets reelected then the investigation doesn't matter. The other parties are arguing it's a stunt, and so are fielding no candidates. Binface's candidacy accurately represents the absurdity of the whole thing.
317070 3mo ago
Those other parties all declined to compete in this by-election. They want Farage to stand to the rule of law on his corruption, and not endorse this procedural manoeuvre. The timing of this by-election is also such that, were there an actual race, Farage would likely get his propaganda on the front of the newspapers throughout the summer months while everyone else in politics is on holiday.
TomK32 3mo ago
Other interested candidates can submit their nomination from tomorrow to Friday and I think one needs the support of only 10 constituents and a hundred quid More info should follow here today: https://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/content/13-august-2026-election-of-member-of-parliament-to-the-clacton-constituency https://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/content/13-august-2026-electio...
gadders 3mo ago
[flagged]
- foldr 3mo ago
  Investigating Farage for failing to declare donations and gifts is neither “lawfare” nor a plausible means of removing him as an MP. It’s just the Parliamentary Standards Comittee doing its job. No legal penalty is on the cards. The worst the committee can do (and they might not even do it) is make him fight another by election, at which point the decision as to whether or not he remains an MP is entirely up to voters in his constituency. Odds are that Farage would win again, so if this is all part of a grand scheme to oust him, it’s a pretty stupid scheme. Currently, the person working hardest to ensure that Farage ceases to be an MP is Farage himself, having made the strategic error of trying to pre-empt what he presumes to be the eventual outcome of the committee investigation by calling this farcical by election.
  - SideburnsOfDoom 3mo ago
    > Investigating Farage for failing to declare donations and gifts is neither “lawfare” nor a plausible means of removing him as an MP. It’s just the Parliamentary Standards Comittee doing its job. No legal penalty is on the cards. All true, but I would caveat it, "no legal penalty is on the cards from the Parliamentary Standards Comittee" We know that there are multiple dodgy dealings, and at least one SAR (Suspicious Activity Report) has been filed. We cannot rule out actual legal penalties in general, nor should we. Seeking a popular mandate should not be used as an get-out of legal accountability. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nigel-farage-gift-crypto-billionaire-christopher-harborne-b3010800.html https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nigel-farage-...
luke5441 3mo ago
Since it is a first-past the post system it would have been best if the other parties coordinated to only let the best party compete. Having Count Binface as the only other candidate is IMO a second-best option.
- crote 3mo ago
  That would've given Farage the "him vs The Establishment" fight he is looking for, though. Leaving it to the Count robs him of that.

gostsamo 3mo ago

There were but decided not to stand candidates, likely fearing humiliating defeat.

esskay 3mo ago
Yeah no, if thats your takeaway then you've severely misunderstood the situation. They dont expect, nor want to win that seat. They want Nige to win it back so he's held accountable as thats in their interest. And then when he's likely ousted later this year they'll all run when theres another election.

robin_reala 3mo ago

The election was triggered because a populist politician being investigated for corruption decided to step down, triggering an election so that he could run again to theoretically prove that he was who the people wanted regardless of the corruption investigation. This backfired when every other party refused to field a candidate (that is, to go along with his plan), apart from Binface. So Farage’s “me vs the establishment” commentary is not going as he expected.

bluehatbrit 3mo ago
It's also worth noting that he's being investigated by the Parliamentary Standards Committee. Now that he has stepped down as an MP, that investigation would ordinarily be paused (and is from what I can tell). It would be resumed if he won but he gets a while to organise things before he has to face them again.
- manarth 3mo ago
  And if the Standards Committee find sufficient wrong-doing to suspend an MP for 10 days or more, the suspension automatically triggers a recall-petition. If the recall-petition is signed by 10% or more of voters in that MP's constituency, this triggers a by-election. So there's a reasonable possibility that once the investigation concludes, there will be another by-election in Clacton.

buildfocus 3mo ago

The election is a re-election vote triggered by the MP already in the very safe seat, as a distraction from "where did all this money come from" investigations around him (which are also conveniently paused by this byelection). He's arguing that if he gets reelected then the investigation doesn't matter. The other parties are arguing it's a stunt, and so are fielding no candidates. Binface's candidacy accurately represents the absurdity of the whole thing.

317070 3mo ago

Those other parties all declined to compete in this by-election. They want Farage to stand to the rule of law on his corruption, and not endorse this procedural manoeuvre. The timing of this by-election is also such that, were there an actual race, Farage would likely get his propaganda on the front of the newspapers throughout the summer months while everyone else in politics is on holiday.

TomK32 3mo ago

Other interested candidates can submit their nomination from tomorrow to Friday and I think one needs the support of only 10 constituents and a hundred quid More info should follow here today: https://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/content/13-august-2026-election-of-member-of-parliament-to-the-clacton-constituency https://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/content/13-august-2026-electio...

gadders 3mo ago

[flagged]

foldr 3mo ago
Investigating Farage for failing to declare donations and gifts is neither “lawfare” nor a plausible means of removing him as an MP. It’s just the Parliamentary Standards Comittee doing its job. No legal penalty is on the cards. The worst the committee can do (and they might not even do it) is make him fight another by election, at which point the decision as to whether or not he remains an MP is entirely up to voters in his constituency. Odds are that Farage would win again, so if this is all part of a grand scheme to oust him, it’s a pretty stupid scheme. Currently, the person working hardest to ensure that Farage ceases to be an MP is Farage himself, having made the strategic error of trying to pre-empt what he presumes to be the eventual outcome of the committee investigation by calling this farcical by election.
- SideburnsOfDoom 3mo ago
  > Investigating Farage for failing to declare donations and gifts is neither “lawfare” nor a plausible means of removing him as an MP. It’s just the Parliamentary Standards Comittee doing its job. No legal penalty is on the cards. All true, but I would caveat it, "no legal penalty is on the cards from the Parliamentary Standards Comittee" We know that there are multiple dodgy dealings, and at least one SAR (Suspicious Activity Report) has been filed. We cannot rule out actual legal penalties in general, nor should we. Seeking a popular mandate should not be used as an get-out of legal accountability. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nigel-farage-gift-crypto-billionaire-christopher-harborne-b3010800.html https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nigel-farage-...

luke5441 3mo ago

Since it is a first-past the post system it would have been best if the other parties coordinated to only let the best party compete. Having Count Binface as the only other candidate is IMO a second-best option.

crote 3mo ago
That would've given Farage the "him vs The Establishment" fight he is looking for, though. Leaving it to the Count robs him of that.