Binface, foxes and raving loonies: the UK’s proud history of costumed candidates
British love of silliness comes to the fore when politicians stand shoulder to shoulder with satirical rivals
TL;DR
- British election results announcements are often marked by the presence of joke candidates in unusual costumes.
- The Monster Raving Loony party and Count Binface (formerly Lord Buckethead) are notable examples of satirical candidates.
- Count Binface ran in the Makerfield byelection, standing against Labour's Andy Burnham, to make a point about elected mayors finishing their terms.
- Joke candidates often wear bizarre outfits and propose humorous policies, such as capping kebab prices or penalizing rule-breaking cyclists.
- The tradition of using humor in elections was seen in the Daily Star's 'lettuce vs Liz Truss' challenge, which accurately predicted the prime minister's short term.