Count Binface Explained

Count Binface
First:12 December 2018[1]
Portrayer:Jonathan David Harvey (since 2018)
Species:Recyclon
Gender:Male
Occupation:Leader of the Recyclons
Origin:Sigma IX

Count Binface is a satirical novelty candidate created by the British comedian Jonathan David Harvey[2] in 2018.[3] He stood as a candidate for Uxbridge and South Ruislip in the 2019 United Kingdom general election against the then prime minister, Boris Johnson, and again at the 2023 by-election that followed Johnson's resignation. He also stood in the London Mayoral elections in 2021 and 2024.[4] In the 2024 UK general election Binface stood against the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, in his Richmond and Northallerton constituency.

In earlier elections, Harvey stood as Lord Buckethead,[5] but was forced to change the character due to a copyright dispute with the American filmmaker Todd Durham, who created Lord Buckethead for his 1984 science fiction film Hyperspace.[6] [7] Since then Harvey has used the platform of Binface to promote electoral participation, with the slogan, "Make Your Vote Count".

Originally standing as an independent, since 2023 his affiliation has been given as Count Binface Party on ballot papers.[8]

Character

Count Binface is an "independent space warrior" in a black and grey uniform, with a long silver cape and a helmet shaped somewhat like a dustbin with a glowing strip where his eyes would be. He describes himself as the leader of the Recyclons from the planet Sigma IX,[9] and claims to be over 5,900 years old.[10]

2019 general election policies

Binface announced a series of satirical policies for the 2019 general election, including:

In 2019, another individual contested the Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat as Lord Buckethead, representing the Official Monster Raving Loony Party, to which Binface said he "look[s] forward to both the hustings and to challenging [him] to take part in a receptacle-to-receptacle debate".[17]

2021 London mayoral election

Binface announced his intention to stand for the London Mayoral Election, which was originally scheduled for 2020, but was delayed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He announced a suite of 21 policies which "marries fiscal responsibility, social awareness, and not being an anti-vaccine nutjob", including:

Binface started a fundraiser to raise £10,000, the amount necessary to allow him to stand for Mayor of London. The excess money was donated to the charity Shelter to help combat homelessness. He finished ninth with 24,775 votes in the mayoral election.[22]

2024 London mayoral election

In March 2024, Binface started another fundraiser to allow him to stand in the next London mayoral election, which was held on 2 May 2024. Any funds raised in excess of the necessary £10,000 would again be donated to charity.[23] After gaining the required amount, he announced his entry into the race and released his manifesto,[24] which re-used many policies from previous years but added a few new ones.

The Binface manifesto called for the abolition of VAR[25] (presumably in football matches) and promised to force Thames Water managers to "take a dip in the Thames... see how they like it", in reference to the recent sewage discharge controversy; also to "build at least one affordable house", referring to the housing crisis in London.[26]

He finished in 11th place with 24,260 votes, notably, ahead of Britain First, despite the election's change to a First Past the Post voting system. [27] Incumbent mayor and election winner Sadiq Khan in a victory speech remarked about celebrating "becoming the first person in British political history to win successive victories over Count Binface".[28] He added that Binface finishing ahead of the far-right Britain First candidate was "another reason to love London".[29]

2024 general election

On 7 June 2024, Binface announced his intention to stand as a candidate in the 2024 United Kingdom general election, contesting the Richmond and Northallerton constituency against the then prime minister, Rishi Sunak. Binface said that he was "taking on the biggest fish of the lot" in the election and commented; "You shirked D-Day Rishi, you can't miss the B-Day", a reference to the controversy caused by Sunak's early departure from the ceremonies commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings.[30] Amongst new policies announced in Binface's manifesto was a "space bridge" to solve the traffic problems caused by Northallerton's level crossings and reducing the price of 99 Flake ice creams to 99 pence.[31] He also proposed National Service for former prime ministers and inviting European nations to join the United Kingdom.[32] Additionally, he enlisted the mathematician and YouTuber Matt Parker to create charts for his free election pamphlet and to act as an election observer on behalf of the Count Binface Party.[33] Binface finished sixth of thirteen candidates with 308 votes, representing 0.6% of the all the votes cast.[34] He commented on Twitter that it was his best placing and highest ever vote count in a national election and declared that "BindependenceDay has come".[32]

Electoral history

Notes

Books

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Former Lord Buckethead takes aim at rival candidate who took his name as he bids to unseat Boris Johnson . . 15 November 2019 .
  2. Web site: 2023-07-21 . New MPs elected at July by-elections . 2023-08-30 . parliament.uk.
  3. News: Cockburn . Harry . Former Lord Buckethead takes aim at rival candidate who took his name as he bids to unseat Boris Johnson . 7 December 2019 . The Independent . 15 November 2019 . en . 16 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191216125514/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/lord-buckethead-count-binface-uxbridge-south-ruislip-general-election-boris-johnson-a9204681.html . live .
  4. Web site: 2024-03-28 . Count Binface (@CountBinface@mastodon.world) . 2024-04-21 . Mastodon . en.
  5. Hip To Be Mayor! . 2021-03-12 . Count Binface . 2024-07-12 . YouTube.
  6. News: Double trouble: the fight to be the real Lord Buckethead. Waterson. Jim. 26 May 2019. The Guardian. 14 November 2019. en-GB. 0261-3077. People should know it’s not the same person,' said comedian Jon Harvey, confirming for the first time that he was the man in the plastic mask during the 2017 general election. 'It's being run by an American from Beverly Hills.. 28 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191028144445/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/26/lord-buckethead-double-trouble-theresa-may. live.
  7. News: Comedian Jon Harvey to take on Boris Johnson as Count Binface. 14 November 2019. comedy.co.uk. 6 December 2019. en-GB. Harvey previously took on Theresa May as Lord Buckethead, but has changed the character after an American-lead copyright dispute. 18 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191218003042/https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/news/5544/who_is_count_binface/. live.
  8. Web site: Count Binface . . whocanivotefor.co.uk . Democracy Club Community Interest Company . 26 May 2024.
  9. News: Graham . Freya . London mayoral election: Who is 'intergalactic space warrior' Count Binface? . 28 May 2024 . Metro . 1 May 2024 . en.
  10. News: Johnson rival Binface makes bid for Christmas number one . 8 December 2019 . Hillingdon & Uxbridge Times . 6 December 2019 . en . 8 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191208144239/https://www.hillingdontimes.co.uk/news/18084360.johnson-rival-binface-makes-bid-christmas-number-one/ . live .
  11. News: Morrison . Sean . Man behind Lord Buckethead to run in PM constituency under new alias . 7 December 2019 . Evening Standard . 14 November 2019 . en . 7 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191207155142/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/man-behind-lord-buckethead-to-run-against-boris-johnson-in-uxbridge-under-new-alias-binface-a4287761.html . live .
  12. News: Heritage . Stuart . The 2017 election awards: from best eating of a Pringle to biggest dolt . 8 December 2019 . The Guardian . 8 June 2017 . 8 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191208131719/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/08/the-2017-election-awards-from-best-eating-of-a-pringle-to-biggest-dolt . live .
  13. News: Johnson rival Binface makes bid for Christmas number one . 7 December 2019 . South West Londoner . 6 December 2019 . 7 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191207155154/https://www.swlondoner.co.uk/johnson-rival-binface-makes-bid-for-christmas-number-one/ . live .
  14. Web site: MANIFESTO! . www.countbinface.com . 1 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200214201820/https://www.countbinface.com/manifesto . 14 February 2020.
  15. News: Sharma . Ruchira . Count Binface lost the rights to Lord Buckethead, but he's still fighting the PM . 8 December 2019 . . 6 December 2019 . en . 8 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191208131630/https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/count-binface-who-lord-buckethead-boris-johnson-general-election-2019-constituency-1335042 . live .
  16. News: Delahunty . Stephen . Alternative Maidenhead candidates go head-to-head at hustings . 11 December 2019 . . 6 June 2017 . 11 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191211033758/https://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/gallery/general-election-2017/116236/alternative-maidenhead-candidates-go-head-to-head-at-hustings.html . live .
  17. News: Jamieson . Alastair . Boris versus Binface: The barmy battles in Britain's 'Brexit election' . 7 December 2019 . euronews . 17 November 2019 . en . 25 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191125211433/https://www.euronews.com/2019/11/17/boris-versus-binface-the-barmy-battles-in-britain-s-brexit-election . live .
  18. Web site: 27 February 2020. Count Binface Runs for Mayor of London . https://web.archive.org/web/20210505203405/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3SnUtGPfyg . 2021-05-05 . 2021-05-06 . YouTube . Count Binface.
  19. Web site: London 2021 Manifesto. 2021-04-23. Count Binface. 2021-04-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20210422142622/https://www.countbinface.com/london-2021-manifesto. live.
  20. Web site: Here is my full manifesto for London. Can any other candidate beat this? No chance! #VoteBinface #MakeYourVoteCount. 2021-05-11 . 2021-05-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210510111318/https://twitter.com/countbinface/status/1384868302019829766 . live. Twitter. @CountBinface .
  21. Web site: 29 April 2021 . Count Binface meets Owen Jones . Youtube . Owen Jones.
  22. Web site: 2021-05-09. Results 2021. 2021-05-09. London Elects. 2021-05-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20210508230654/https://www.londonelects.org.uk/im-voter/election-results/results-2021. live.
  23. Web site: 6 March 2024 . It's time to take out the trash and teach the Tories a lesson they'll never forget. Help me raise the £10k to get on the London Mayoral ballot, and watch me beat Susan Hall! Every extra penny raised goes to charity. Join me here!
    #Budget2024     . Twitter . @CountBinface.
  24. Web site: 2024-04-08 . Count Binface (@CountBinface@mastodon.world) . 2024-04-21 . Mastodon . en.
  25. Web site: 2024-04-21 . Count Binface (@CountBinface@mastodon.world) . 2024-04-21 . Mastodon . en.
  26. Web site: Count Binface unveils manifesto for London Mayoral election including Thames Water pledge . Keane . Daniel . 8 April 2024 . www.standard.co.uk . Evening Standard Limited . 22 May 2024.
  27. News: London Mayor Election 2024 Candidates and Results . 2024-05-04 . . en-GB.
  28. News: Sadiq Khan celebrates 'successive victories over Count Binface' . 11 May 2024 . BelfastTelegraph.co.uk . 7 May 2024.
  29. Web site: Sadiq Khan salutes Count Binface for beating Britain First candidate in London mayoral election . . 7 May 2024 . news.sky.com . Sky UK . 22 May 2024 .
  30. Web site: Count Binface to stand against Rishi Sunak in Richmond . Abruzzese . Phoebe . 7 June 2024 . www.thenorthernecho.co.uk . The Northern Echo / Newsquest Media Group Ltd . 8 June 2024.
  31. Web site: Count Binface launches Richmond and Northallerton manifesto . Nichol . Joshua . 17 June 2024 . www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk . Newsquest Media Group Ltd . 3 July 2024.
  32. Web site: How Count Binface, Captain Beany, Elmo and other quirky candidates did in the election . Cotrell . Hannah . 5 July 2024 . www.independent.co.uk . Independent Digital News and Media Limited . 6 July 2024.
  33. Web site: UK Election charts are a nightmare . Parker. Matt. 3 July 2024 . www.youtube.com . Stand-up Maths . 3 July 2024.
  34. Web site: Richmond and Northallerton results - General election 2024 . . 5 July 2024 . www.bbc.co.uk . BBC News . 5 July 2024.

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