Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has won back his seat in the British Parliament after defeating 33 other candidates in an unusual by-election dominated by fringe candidates, including comic Count Binface.
Farage secured 63% of the votes in Thursday's election in Clacton, a constituency on England's east coast where he has strong support. Count Binface, a comedian known for donning a bin on his head, finished second with around 27% of the vote, according to news agency AP.
The by-election was boycotted by the UK's main political parties, which described the contest as a farce.
Farage had resigned as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Clacton in July while facing an investigation into whether he had failed to declare a £5 million ($6.7 million) gift from an overseas cryptocurrency billionaire.
Farage has denied any wrongdoing. He decided to contest the same seat again, saying the election would show whether local voters still supported him.
After his victory, Farage called the result an “overwhelming win” and said his share of the vote had increased compared with the previous election.
“Today the voters in Clacton have stuck up two fingers to the entire political establishment,” Farage said after the result.
Analysts had expected Farage to win the election but had underestimated the popularity of Count Binface, who described himself as an "intergalactic space warrior" from planet Sigma IX.
Speaking at the counting centre early on Friday, Binface had told AFP, "The moral victory is already mine."
Farage's return to the House of Commons may not be permanent.
A parliamentary watchdog had paused its investigation into the alleged £5 million gift after Farage resigned. The probe was restarted just hours after the by-election result was announced.
If the investigation eventually leads to Farage being removed from Parliament, another election could be held in the constituency.
Farage is one of Britain's most prominent anti-immigration politicians and leads Reform UK, a right-wing party that has increasingly challenged the country's traditional political establishment.
He was one of the leading campaigners for Brexit, the UK's decision to leave the European Union, which was backed by voters in a 2016 referendum.
According to Variety, Count Binface describes himself as a 5,900-year-old intergalactic space warrior from the planet Sigma IX. His motto is “Make Earth Great Again.”
He has contested five elections since 2019, including the London mayoral election and the 2024 general election, when he stood against then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
He also contested last month's by-election in Makerfield against Labour's Andy Burnham.
Among Count Binface's tongue-in-cheek political proposals are renaming London Bridge after actor Phoebe Waller-Bridge, “nationalising Adele”, building “at least one” affordable house and choosing himself as Britain's Eurovision entry for 2027, the report added.
The Clacton result means Farage will return to the House of Commons, but the ongoing parliamentary investigation could determine how long he remains there.
(With inputs from agencies )
