Clacton
There is to be a by-election in Clacton on Thursday 13th August, brought about by the resignation of its member of Parliament, Nigel Farage. It is alleged that he has wrongly accepted monetary gifts and gifts in kind from dubious sources. He denied all allegations and claimed that he was resigning his seat to put an end to press intrusion into his affairs. He announced that he would be standing as a candidate in the election, in order to test the will of Clacton voters to decide whether he should continue as their MP.
By resigning, he brought to a halt all investigations into his behaviour. Investigations will resume if he is re-elected.
A registered political party may stand more than one candidate if it wishes, provided each candidate has been nominated and authorised by the party. Each candidate must make a deposit of £500 as validation, which is only refunded to them if they gain at least 5% of the total vote.
None of the major political parties have put forward a candidate in the by-election, but there are 34 names on the ballot paper, the largest number in British electoral history, including three established political party candidates. Fourteen more somewhat less conventional contenders include Count Binface who has stood in six previous elections, once under his previous name of Lord Buckethead. He has contested four Parliamentary seats and two elections for London mayor. He lost his deposit each time.
Three candidates representing the Official Monster Raving Loony Party are on the ballot paper. They are Baron Von Thunderclap, (attempted 6 previous seats, lost all 6 and his deposit) Howling Laud Hope (contested 37, lost 37, and failed to get back his deposit) and Nick the Incredible Flying Brick (contested 13, lost 13, and his deposit).
I suspect that many people were hoping that Count Binface would be Nigel Farage’s only opponent, and the eventual victor, but more candidates have jumped on the bandwagon, and the vote is likely to be split several ways.
When all the votes have been cast and counted, the stage in Clacton will be shared by 34 candidates awaiting the declaration in the early hours of Friday morning.
Some may argue that the Clacton by-election is making a mockery of the democratic process by permitting candidates who do not appear to be serious to put themselves forward for election. I believe that we must hear the smaller voices – the man in the fox costume (though I think he may not be standing this time), the Inter-galactic warrior, the people we may abhor but who have a voice for at least some of the populace, those who campaign on just one issue, like having a local dentist in Clacton. We may not support them, but they have a right to be heard.
One thing is certain – all the contestants will claim victory, for that is the way of modern politics.
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They have to pay a $500 deposit? Knowing they might lose and lose the money? To someone who carefully counts out her fortnightly dollars that sounds terrible. I do love the imaginary names and costumes though.
ReplyDeleteIt means something to them, or they wouldn't keep doing it.
DeleteThat's a lot of candidates to run for one seat.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is.
DeleteQuite a bit a creativity going on over there. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe Brits love an underdog . . .
DeleteIt's really terrible what politicians are doing and no one does anything... this gang keeps rising higher... it's the same everywhere :((( Sending my regards to you!
ReplyDeleteThose in power are either proposing dreadful things or doing nothing at all. It's a mess.
DeleteNigel Farage seems like a pylon of a human. We have several pylons too. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteFarage is a great entertainer, but a fairly unpleasant human being.
DeleteIf NF gets back into parliament he will behave like he's untouchable - UKs own orange dog turd
ReplyDeleteI suspect he will, but then he has to face the investigation. He will have gained nothing apart from time and more ridicule.
DeleteDemocratic exercises like this can at times be a farce.
ReplyDeleteIf Farage wins, wouldn't the investigation resume? If it does, then what did he achieve by resigning from Commons?
Yes, the investigation will resume and he will have achieved nothing apart from more media coverage.
DeleteAre all these characters for real? I wish the felon in the white house weren't real.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
They are real, and making mock, pricking the balloon of pomposity that surrounds so many politicians.
DeleteI am in two minds about this. As you say, we must hear the smaller voices, too, but on the other hand any political office should be taken seriously, and an election not be turned into a carnival.
ReplyDeleteWhile we don't have anyone like Count Binface here, some of the people who put themselves forward as candidates in local elections are just as... let's say, interesting.
I think the purpose is to make the electorate think about politics in a different way, to cut through the pretentiousness and wild claims that so many candidates voice.
DeleteIf I lived in Clacton I'd vote for Count Binface!
ReplyDeleteSo would I, and I hope many others will.
DeleteIf NF wins the investigation will resume, so he would not have gained anything, having so many contestants has turned the situation into a farce. So many European politicians now are from a different background than politics, maybe Binface if he wins can show how to represent the people who voted for him. I wonder how Makerfield now feels as their MP is PM and how much has Andy Burnham done for them if anything.
ReplyDeleteThe outstanding example is Vlodomyr Zelenskyy.
DeleteI fear Andy Burnham will turn out to be a damp squib, especially if he continues trying to be 'one of the people.' His job is to lead, not mingle
I do have great admiration for Vlodomyr Zelenskyy and wish more politicians could be like him. Barack Obama too gained my respect.
DeleteIs that a Bye-election or a Theatrical Comedy. I've been reading about this Binface person. That name? Is it real!? Is it actually pronounced Bin-face?
ReplyDeleteOK, I actually looked him up. A satirical persona. Should have googled before writing. I shake my head in wonder
DeleteFarage has brought on this farce by playing at politics. He's not a serious candidate and neither is he a very pleasant character.
DeleteAh well. It just shows the British sense of humour is not yet dead.
ReplyDeleteWe need something to lighten the load . . . Vote Binface!!
DeleteI think the rules regarding by-elections need reviewing. An MP who triggers a by-election should not be allowed to stand as a candidate in it. By-elections cost money Calling one to prove a point seems like a misuse of the democratic process.
ReplyDeleteI am not against unlikely candidates standing. I wonder how many people laughed when a popular comedian stood for election in Ukraine? I doubt they are laughing now.
I agree with all your points, particularly the last.
DeleteNot so many around the world would know about the by-election if not for Count Binface.
ReplyDeleteYou're right.
DeleteOne big positive in this is that the whole mess has turned the spotlight onto the electoral process, encouraging people to engage, debate, and - really importantly - vote.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'd vote for Count Binface, because it's fun, but as far as I can see, the guy that's bringing so much attention to this would actually do their best for the people of Clacton. That would be a nice change for them.
I agree. If it makes people really think about the electoral process all the nonsense is worthwhile. Farage is a menace, really.
ReplyDeleteThis is going to be some election. I can’t believe there are that many candidates.
ReplyDeleteIt has certainly caught the attention of many people across the globe. Okay, it will probably confirm the view that UK is a lost cause . . .
DeleteI suspect that Count Binface would get my vote. Anyone but Farage. A turnip would be preferable.
ReplyDeleteI hope everyone votes 'anyone but Farage.' There are an awful lot of gullible people, though, who don't seem to have noticed that he is more absent from Parliament than present.
DeleteI'd vote for Binface.
ReplyDeleteLikewise, but he's not polling as convincingly as I hoped he would. 😉
DeleteThat is some ballot! I get perplexed when we have more than four names on a given ballot.
ReplyDelete😄🤣😂
DeleteIt would bring a smile to many people's faces to see Count Binface sitting in the House of Commons
ReplyDeleteIt would be entertaining, certainly.
DeleteLike you, I hoped that Farage's only opponent would be Count Binface because I believe that Binface would have won. Farage becomes more odious and scary as the months and years pass by.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the people of Clacton think very deeply about their candidates.
DeleteBinface certainly looks like a winner to me.
ReplyDeleteIt would be good.
DeleteYeah, I was looking forward to Binface being declared the victor! Clacton is a pretty conservative area, though -- I honestly suspect Nigel would have won no matter what. (Even against a more serious contender.) They love him there.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they consider matters very deeply in Clacton - it's a deprived area.
DeleteWell said.
ReplyDelete👍
DeleteWhen I think of Zelenskyy as president of Ukraine I always think of Nigel Hawthorne or Paul Eddington being PM here and how stupid it would have been. I was in Ukraine just after he was elected and he was immensely popular. But it was all a big mess politically and a bit like Britain now; the people couldn't see it there either.
ReplyDeleteZelenskyy is finding life more difficult now, but I think he's doing as good a job as he can in difficult circumstances.
DeleteIf I was a citizen of your country, I'd be voting for Binface. Farange is a menace and that's an understatement. That deposit thing - interesting. We don't have that system here in the United States but it can be hard in other ways to get on a ballot. Oh, to answer your question about Japanese knotweed, it probably is as much as a menace here as it is in the UK but our laws treat it differently. We don't have severe criminal penalties for it being on your property. We do have civil penalties if you have it and allow it to spread, and if you allow it to spread to a neighbor's land you can sue them for damages.
ReplyDeleteI rather suspect Count Binface will get a lot of votes ... but 34 to choose from that is a lot! I did actually see the length of the ballot paper the other night on the news ...and it's long!
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
My son was telling me about this election. He found it rather interesting.
ReplyDelete