Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has won the Clacton by-election in the United Kingdom, defeating satirical candidate Count Binface in a contest that had been widely expected to go in his favour.
Farage secured 22,239 votes, while Count Binface, whose real name is Jonathan David Harvey, finished second with 9,455 votes, according to electoral officials.
The result was announced in the early hours of Friday, August 14, 2026, after voting took place on Thursday.
Farage had earlier declared victory before the counting process was completed, telling supporters that the result represented a strong endorsement of his political movement.
The Reform UK leader did not attend the formal announcement of the result.
Farage was widely expected to retain the Clacton seat, where he was already the sitting Member of Parliament. None of the UK’s main political parties fielded candidates in the by-election.
Count Binface, a satirical political candidate known for contesting elections while wearing a large metallic helmet, exceeded expectations by finishing a clear second.
Farage and Binface both defeated a long list of independent candidates, joke candidates and representatives of smaller political parties, with several candidates receiving fewer than 100 votes.
The candidates on stage at Clacton Leisure Centre, where the votes were counted, were seen cheering one another as the results were announced.
Voter turnout in Thursday’s election stood at 44 per cent, significantly below the 59 per cent recorded in Clacton during the 2024 general election, although lower turnout is common in by-elections.
The result was declared shortly after 6am on Friday, August 14, with electoral officials earlier warning that counting would take longer than usual because of the length of the ballot papers.
The victory further strengthens Farage’s position in Clacton as he continues to lead Reform UK in British politics.
AFP
