Count Binface is, once again, running for London mayor.
The character, famously recognised by his silver bin for a head, fantasy space-style suit of armour, and long cape, first appeared as a political fi gure in the 2019 General Election as a candidate for Uxbridge and South Ruislip. He made his first run for London Mayor in the 2021 London Mayoral Election.
The existence of Count Binface proves the comical state of affairs of UK politics at the moment.
There has been a rise in the prominence and importance of personality within politics in the UK.
What springs to mind is Boris Johnson’s ability to be viewed as an amusing character, despite the magnitude of his role as former London Mayor and former Prime Minister of the UK; The Monster Raving Loony Party is yet another political group built on a comical and sardonic impression of the political world.
Count Binface has, as of yet, not occupied a major political role, and we can be somewhat certain that he will not win this 2024 London Mayoral campaign.
But, while he is simply a satirical, comedic caricature of UK politicians, as a fi gure, he is not wholly unpopular.
Following Boris Johnson’s resignation as an MP in 2023, Binface ran again for Johnson’s former constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip, coming eighth out of seventeen candidates—quite a win for someone who is not supposed to be considered a serious candidate.
As well as this, in the 2021 London Mayoral campaign he managed to gain almost 25,000 votes in the results.
Clearly, something must be resonating with the electorate that they would vote for someone with a bin on their head.
Looking at his 2024 London Mayor manifesto, we can see that while some of the ideas are clearly poking fun at the establishment and British popular culture, some of the ideas do hold some honest political value.
In the midst of all the silliness, such as making Claudia Winkleman’s fringe “grade 1 listed” and renaming London Bridge after Phoebe Waller, Count manages to stand for policies that reach out to those who have felt shunned by the political establishment, those who are at more of a disadvantage in our society.
Two of his manifesto promises stood out to me: the first being a new electric car for all Londoners who cannot afford a ULEZ-compliant vehicle, and for it to be “paid for by windfall tax on oil companies.”
This policy is undeniably refl ected in socialist ideas that we have seen in politicians such as Jeremy Corbyn and Bernie Sanders, and in this policy Count Binface is making it known that he wants to support everyday people, especially the most economically disadvantaged, by utilising the wealthiest.
The other manifesto promise, “getting rid of Voter ID legislation,” paints Count Binface as someone who wants to make politics and the establishment more inclusive, allowing those who do not have ‘Voter ID’ to have a say in politics that will inevitably affect them and the country they choose to reside in.
Although it is unlikely that Count Binface will become the next mayor of London, it will be interesting to see if his popularity has grown significantly since his last campaign. It makes us wonder what he, and other individuals he may inspire, have in store for the future of UK politics.