Thirty-four candidates and a ballot paper almost one metre long — the largest ever printed in British history. This is the setting for tomorrow’s vote in the Clacton constituency, a coastal town in Essex that has become the focus of political and media attention in the UK. The by-election was triggered by the voluntary resignation of the sitting MP, Nigel Farage, who won the seat in 2024 with 46% of the vote, compared with 27% for the Conservative candidate Giles Watling and 16% for the Labour candidate Jovan Owusu-Nepaul. The Reform UK leader and prominent figure behind Brexit chose to resign and force a new election as a strategic response to parliamentary inquiries into his finances. Farage is under investigation for not declaring a “personal gift” — described by those involved — of £5 million from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne, and for allegedly opaque funding linked to George Cottrell, a former close associate who was previously convicted of fraud in the United States. Farage says he did not need to declare the funds because they were received before he was elected and were intended solely for his personal security.

Framing himself as the target of media and institutional hostility, he has called the contest a “people versus the establishment” challenge, asking Clacton voters to judge his record and dispel doubts about his mandate. The race, however, has taken an unexpected turn. Major parties — Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens — have refused to contest the by-election, calling it a “sham” and not fielding candidates. The contest has taken on a surreal tone due to the presence of unconventional opponents, foremost among them Count Binface. Portrayed by comedian Jonathan David Harvey, Binface describes himself as an “intergalactic space warrior” and appears in a cloak with a bin on his head. With the main parties absent, Binface has paradoxically emerged as Farage’s principal rival. His deliberately absurd pledges, such as fixing the price of ice cream at 99 pence, are satirical and have drawn tactical support from voters opposed to Farage.

Alongside the theatrical candidacies are other independents and minor-party figures, including Laurence Fox of the Reclaim Party, which presents itself as seeking to “return to the people what has been taken by those in Westminster” and casts Fox as a modern Robin Hood. Local activists and three members of the Monster Raving Loony Party — which describes its members as “mad and angry monsters” — add to the spectacle surrounding the Clacton by-election. Despite the carnival atmosphere, Farage remains the central figure. Polls give him a strong lead and he benefits from a loyal support base. His appeal in an area that voted overwhelmingly for Brexit — roughly 70% backed leaving the EU — appears durable, and a decisive victory would boost his standing and return him to Parliament. (by Alessandro Allocca)