So. If you are not following the Nigel Farage vs. Count Binface showdown in British politics then I recommend you start doing so.
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So. If you are not following the Nigel Farage vs. Count Binface showdown in British politics then I recommend you start doing so.
The short version: Nigel Farage, MP and leader of the far-right Reform Party, resigns from his seat to halt investigation into his dodgy finances. Then announces he will stand in the ensuing by-election, essentially because if he wins his (safe) seat again it proves the people don’t care about his finances.
As this is obviously a bullshit stunt, every single other major party refuses to put up a candidate for the by-election.
This means Farage is now running against one other candidate only: Count Binface, a man with a bin on his head.
Clacton-on-Sea now have the opportunity to do the funniest thing ever.
@astronomerritt As regards the main parties not standing candidates, someone else pointed out that when Farage resigned, the investigation into his dodgy finances was paused - and if he's re-elected, it will be resumed straight away.
In other words, there are only two outcomes here: (1) Farage loses and is humiliated by Count Binface (yay!); (2) he wins, guaranteeing his finances will be all over the front pages again unless he resigns again and stays away from electoral politics (yay!).
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@astronomerritt As regards the main parties not standing candidates, someone else pointed out that when Farage resigned, the investigation into his dodgy finances was paused - and if he's re-elected, it will be resumed straight away.
In other words, there are only two outcomes here: (1) Farage loses and is humiliated by Count Binface (yay!); (2) he wins, guaranteeing his finances will be all over the front pages again unless he resigns again and stays away from electoral politics (yay!).
@ApostateEnglishman @astronomerritt
Win win then
what a dick Frogface is -
@senil Isn’t that just his Makerfield manifesto? I don’t think he’s done a Clacton one yet, has he?
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@Rhodium103 A record high win for Farage means he MUST be investigated by the ethics committee, so as much as that may be a loss outwardly, it is a loss for farage as he will likely end up in serious legal hot water.
@BigTittyBimbo @Rhodium103 also the by election looks like early August when there was chatter they would try to push it to September so the ethics committee stuff can resume in maybe 5 weeks then.
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@WiteWulf Yes!! Do not underestimate Count Binface. I look forward to many Binface interviews in the coming days.
@astronomerritt @WiteWulf hasn’t he been around for ages? I seem to remember him in the 90s
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@astronomerritt there was a fabulous interview with Count Binface after the Makerfield by-election where the aging Sky News reporter obviously didn't know much about him, and got absolutely schooled.
Do not take the political satirist lightly, they tend to know their stuff
(Editted to use the honourable gentleman's correct title)
@WiteWulf @astronomerritt
Blimmin excellent stuff! Hilarious but intensely serious -
The leader of the Conservative Party is backing Binface. You can’t make it up.
> In a social media post announcing his departure, Reeves said: “If he wants to spend the summer arguing with a bin, I won’t stop him.”
love it.
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So. If you are not following the Nigel Farage vs. Count Binface showdown in British politics then I recommend you start doing so.
The short version: Nigel Farage, MP and leader of the far-right Reform Party, resigns from his seat to halt investigation into his dodgy finances. Then announces he will stand in the ensuing by-election, essentially because if he wins his (safe) seat again it proves the people don’t care about his finances.
As this is obviously a bullshit stunt, every single other major party refuses to put up a candidate for the by-election.
This means Farage is now running against one other candidate only: Count Binface, a man with a bin on his head.
Clacton-on-Sea now have the opportunity to do the funniest thing ever.
@astronomerritt Binface FTW! I cannot express just how happy it would make me if Farage lost to Binface. Please, UK voters, do this for me
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> In a social media post announcing his departure, Reeves said: “If he wants to spend the summer arguing with a bin, I won’t stop him.”
love it.
@dantleech Laughing about this for about ten solid minutes.
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@astronomerritt @WiteWulf hasn’t he been around for ages? I seem to remember him in the 90s
@BubblegumYeti @WiteWulf He was Lord Buckethead before he was hit by a copyright notice.
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@astronomerritt As regards the main parties not standing candidates, someone else pointed out that when Farage resigned, the investigation into his dodgy finances was paused - and if he's re-elected, it will be resumed straight away.
In other words, there are only two outcomes here: (1) Farage loses and is humiliated by Count Binface (yay!); (2) he wins, guaranteeing his finances will be all over the front pages again unless he resigns again and stays away from electoral politics (yay!).
@ApostateEnglishman And winning against Count Binface is certainly not the “plucky underdog Man of the People stands up against the Establishment” narrative he wanted, is it? Or, well, it is, but now he’s in the wrong role…
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@astronomerritt If count binface wins will he wear his costume in Parliament?
@alienghic Alas. I don’t think he’d be allowed to. Although the way they get on in there, I don’t think it’d be a huge blow to the dignity of Parliament if they did.
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The thing is, Farage is fucked either way. Sure, he will probably win the by-election, but he is standing against Count Binface, a satirical candidate who calls himself an “independent space warrior”. That’s hardly the resounding political victory he wanted. And if Binface gets any significant proportion of the votes, which he likely will, then that’s voters who would rather have a man with a bin on his head than Farage.
To be fair to Count Binface, he’s smart as hell and knows exactly what he is doing, and I (with Kemi fucking Badenoch, apparently) wish him all the luck in the world.
Latest development. Technically, MPs can’t resign, only request to be appointed to a symbolic role which bars them from the Commons, which can be denied by the sitting government.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves had this to say:
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Latest development. Technically, MPs can’t resign, only request to be appointed to a symbolic role which bars them from the Commons, which can be denied by the sitting government.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves had this to say:
@astronomerritt <shrug> I'd vote for the Count if I could. He makes some very valid points.
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@astronomerritt <shrug> I'd vote for the Count if I could. He makes some very valid points.
@roknrol I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for Count Binface. I mean that genuinely.
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@roknrol I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for Count Binface. I mean that genuinely.
Just trying to remove a little rubbish from Parliament
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Latest development. Technically, MPs can’t resign, only request to be appointed to a symbolic role which bars them from the Commons, which can be denied by the sitting government.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves had this to say:
@astronomerritt The people of Clacton have a chance to achieve better.
In this case better has a bin on its head. No hyperbole, I genuinely believe that a man who spends his time dressed in a bin for the purpose of political satire is a better choice than a grifter. Better informed, better intentions, just all round a superior choice.
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Latest development. Technically, MPs can’t resign, only request to be appointed to a symbolic role which bars them from the Commons, which can be denied by the sitting government.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves had this to say:
@astronomerritt It seems failed actor, failed father, failed musician etc, Laurence Fox is also entering the fray. It’s not bad news because he will split the Right vote.
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@astronomerritt there was a fabulous interview with Count Binface after the Makerfield by-election where the aging Sky News reporter obviously didn't know much about him, and got absolutely schooled.
Do not take the political satirist lightly, they tend to know their stuff
(Editted to use the honourable gentleman's correct title)
@WiteWulf @astronomerritt
There was a hilarious John Craig fuckup a few years back, where Sky handed over to him and he forgot he was live on air, and was shouting 'shit, shit shit' really loudly, before suddenly realising, and then carrying on as if all was well. We just happened to catch it as it happened, I can't find it on youtube, the only one I can find is some person on Instagram, but I'll be fucked if I'm joining that! Was really funny at the time -
@astronomerritt The people of Clacton have a chance to achieve better.
In this case better has a bin on its head. No hyperbole, I genuinely believe that a man who spends his time dressed in a bin for the purpose of political satire is a better choice than a grifter. Better informed, better intentions, just all round a superior choice.
@woe2you I 100% agree. I have nothing but respect for Count Binface and I frankly can’t wait to see what he does next. He’s a very sharp man.
