It threatens to be one of the biggest political results in the history of the United Kingdom.
A man who was favourite to be the next prime minister could lose his seat to a novelty candidate.
And he really could. Reform are 1/8 to retain the seat with party leader Nigel Farage contesting the seat he has just given up with Count Binface 9/2.
Deemed a stunt by his political rivals, it is expected that Farage will contest the by-election almost unopposed.
The only other candidate at this stage is Count Binface, otherwise known as Jonathan David Harvey.
As the moniker suggests, Harvey is exclusively seen wearing a bin over his head. Harvey has stood in other high-profile by-elections, including the 2023 by-election in Uxbridge and South Ruislip winning 190 votes, having won 69 votes at the general election in the same seat four years earlier.
Harvey also stood for election in the 2021 and 2024 London mayoral elections, picking up 24,775 (1.0%) and 24,260 (1.0%) of votes on each occasion.
More recently, Harvey stood as Count Binface in the 2026 Makerfield by-election where Andy Burnham was looking to return to parliament.
Odds will display when market is available.
What are Count Binface's policies?
As a novelty candidate, Count Binface has never needed to write a legitimate manifesto. For the 2019 general election, his policies included:
- Bringing back Ceefax
- Nationalising Adele
- Proroguing Jacob Rees-Mogg
Since then when standing in other elections, his policies have included:
- Abolition of VAR
- Loud snacks to be banned in theatres
- To be Britain's Eurovision entry in 2027
Count Binface's manifesto
Harvey is yet to release a manifesto for the Clacton by-election, though he has pledged to 'build at least one affordable house'. His manifesto from the recent Makerfield by-election can be seen below:
- I will cut your taxes, and raise everyone else’s.
- All 99 Flake ice-creams to cost no more than 99p and Wigan Kebabs to be price-capped at £2.
- Rephase the traffic lights on Liverpool Road to ease congestion.
- Corners to be refereed properly in football.
- People who use speakerphones on public transport to be conscripted.
- Wifi on trains that works. Also trains that work.
- The £6.6 million Ashton-in-Makerfield regeneration scheme to be regenerated.
- Pensions to be double-locked, with an extra little chain on the side.
- Cyclists who break the highway code to be forced to ride unicycles instead.
- Elected mayors to be ineligible for Parliament until after their term of office.
- Free parking at the Gerard Centre to be increased to 3 hours.
- Auto-renew on all online subscriptions to be abolished immediately.
- HS2 to be renamed FFS1 and rerouted so it ploughs through rail execs’ homes.
- Galloway Bakers’ ‘Full Monty Bin Lid’ breakfast to be Britain’s new national dish.
- Tries in Rugby League to be increased from 4 to 5 points in line with inflation.
- Ceefax to be brought back for the entire Greater Manchester area.
- MPs to lose their subsidy for cheap food and drink in Parliament.
- The hand-dryer in the gents’ toilet at the Crown & Treaty pub, Uxbridge to be moved to a more sensible position.
- Count Binface to be the UK’s entrant at Eurovision 2027.
- I stand by my past manifestos: croissants, Brexit, Trident, building at least one affordable house: I’ve got it all covered.
Odds displayed above were correct at time of publishing and are subject to change or withdrawal at any time.
