Nigel Farage faces off against Count Binface in special election that's been denounced as a stunt

LONDON (AP) — Tens of thousands of voters are heading to the polls Thursday in a special election in a small seaside resort just outside London that pits a potential candidate to be the next U.K. prime minister against a collection of independents, jokers and single-issue candidates, led by a man who wears a trash can on his head.

That's not what Nigel Farage, who arguably did more than anyone to get Britain to vote to leave the European Union a decade ago, intended when he triggered Thursday’s special election in Clacton by quitting his seat in the House of Commons last month. When doing so, he expected to run against candidates from Britain's main political parties, including the governing Labour Party and the main opposition Conservative Party.

Farage, leader of anti-immigration party Reform UK, stood down in the hope the election could put to bed awkward questions about his finances. Farage said he would let voters judge him in a “people versus the establishment” contest. His political foes described the move as a stunt and opted against fielding a candidate.

Instead, Farage's main opponent is Count Binface, a political satirist posing as a comic space alien with a keen interest in earthly matters, including the positioning of a hand dryer in the men's toilet in a pub in west London.

The election is a novelty with a record 34 candidates standing, including Howling Laud Hope of The Official Monster Raving Loony Party and Marcus White from the Everyone is God Party. They have pounded the streets of Clacton over the past few weeks as they seek to win the support of around 80,000 voters.

Given the numbers standing, Clacton residents will be presented with a ballot paper that is around 3 feet long (around 1 meter). That's not going to be easy to navigate.

Turnout is widely expected to be low as it often is in special elections. In the July 2024 general election, Farage faced eight rivals and garnered 21,225 votes, or 46.2% of the total. Turnout was 58.7%.

This election is taking place during the summer holidays when thousands of voters will be far away from Clacton. It's also taking place during another U.K. heatwave, which could prompt many to opt against making the trip to the polling station.

Farage, who in 2024 was elected to Parliament at his eighth attempt in the strongly Brexit -backing town, has for months been facing what he considers to be unfair scrutiny of his finances.

Parliament’s standards watchdog is investigating an undeclared donation of 5 million pounds ($6.7 million) to Farage in 2024 from Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based cryptocurrency billionaire. Farage says he didn’t need to declare the money because it was a personal gift he used to fund his security and came before he was elected.

However, newly elected lawmakers must declare gifts worth more than 300 pounds ($400) received in the previous year if they are related to political activities.

When he stood down on July 7, he described the scrutiny as an “establishment hit job” and a media-driven “witch-hunt.”

His decision to stand down put a pause to the parliamentary investigation, but if he wins on Thursday, as most pollsters expect, it is set to start again.

If he's found to have breached Parliament's rules, then he could face a recall petition in Clacton, which may lead to another special election later this year, costing the British taxpayer hundreds of thousands of pounds more. The difference is that in that one, the other parties would choose to stand.

Farage's decision came weeks after Andy Burnham returned to Parliament in a special election in the Makerfield constituency near Manchester. That campaign shone a positive spotlight on Burnham, triggering a chain of events that saw him become Britain's prime minister a few weeks later following the resignation of Keir Starmer.

Any hope that Farage had that the Clacton campaign would be similarly positive for him was dashed when the other political parties failed to play ball and he was left standing against the likes of Count Binface.

Under Binface’s black cape, trash can and ample body armor that looks straight out of a low-budget sci-fi film, is a middle-aged comedian named Jon Harvey trying to keep his cool during a sweaty summer.

He has been a regular candidate in high-profile elections before, having previously stood against then prime ministers Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak.

He says his repeated candidacies are aimed at promoting the beauties of Britain's centuries-old democracy where even the most high-profile politicians are above no one — including someone from his fictional native planet of Sigma IX.

Joke candidates are a long-standing and cherished tradition in British elections so long as they meet the rules and pay the deposit of 500 pounds ($675) required of all those standing. They only get it back if they muster 5% of the votes cast. In his most recent run, against Burnham in Makerfield, the 5,000-year-old Binface got 95 votes, or 0.2% of the total.

There is an expectation that he will do a lot better in Clacton. Many of the voters of the other political parties have been lending him their support, partly in the hope of embarrassing Farage.

The result of the election, which will be announced as Farage is onstage with all his fellow candidates, is expected Friday morning between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m.

Britain's Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage arrives at a polling station in Walton on the Naze, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026 to cast his vote for the Clacton on Sea by-election.(AP Photo/Richard Pelham)

Britain's Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage arrives at a polling station in Walton on the Naze, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026 to cast his vote for the Clacton on Sea by-election.(AP Photo/Richard Pelham)

Nigel Farage, Leader of Britain's Reform UK party, right, and Zia Yusuf, Reform UK's spokesperson for home affairs attend a press conference in London, Monday, Aug. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Count Binface leaves after being interviewed at a studio in London ahead of the Clacton by-election, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Nigel Farage, Leader of Britain's Reform UK party, speaks during a press conference in London, Monday, Aug. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Count Binface is interviewed at a studio in London ahead of the Clacton by-election, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

WAYNE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 13, 2026--

Radian Group Inc. (NYSE: RDN) announced that, effective today, Mike Weinbach has assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer and joined its Board of Directors, completing the planned leadership transition announced on May 21, 2026. Weinbach succeeds Rick Thornberry, who will serve as a strategic advisor through his retirement on December 31, 2026.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260813708638/en/

“Radian’s Board of Directors is pleased to welcome Mike to his new roles following a thoughtful and comprehensive transition process,” said Howard Culang, Non-Executive Chairperson of the Board. “Mike is an accomplished leader whose experience, strategic judgment and deep financial services expertise make him well suited to lead Radian through this next phase of growth.”

Weinbach assumes the CEO role as Radian builds momentum as a global, diversified multi-line specialty insurer, following its acquisition of Lloyd’s specialty insurer Inigo Limited, which closed on February 2, 2026, and its actions to successfully divest of its other non-core businesses. Together, its Mortgage and Specialty Insurance businesses continue to strengthen Radian’s ability to deliver long-term value.

“It is an honor to join Radian at such a pivotal and promising moment,” Weinbach said. “My confidence in the company’s future has only grown as I have spent time with our talented team and seen firsthand our differentiated approach to delivering value for customers, stockholders, and other stakeholders. Thanks to the vision and dedicated work of Rick Thornberry and the entire Radian team, I believe the company is exceptionally well-positioned for what lies ahead. I am excited to build on that strong foundation.”

“On behalf of the Board, I want to once again thank Rick for his outstanding leadership over his nine years as CEO,” said Culang. “His accomplishments and contributions will leave a lasting legacy that will benefit the company for years to come.”

About Mike Weinbach

Mike Weinbach is a seasoned executive whose 30-year career has been defined by leading large, complex businesses through growth and transformation at the intersection of financial services, data, and technology. Most recently, he served as President of Mr. Cooper Group, where he successfully led the industry's largest mortgage servicer through its acquisition by Rocket Companies in 2025 while advancing technology initiatives that enhanced customer experience and grew the company's servicing and originations portfolios. Prior to Mr. Cooper, Weinbach was CEO of Consumer Lending at Wells Fargo, overseeing strategy across home, auto, student, and personal lending, credit cards, and merchant services, leading a team of more than 40,000 employees and serving on the company's Operating Committee. Before Wells Fargo, he spent 16 years at JPMorgan Chase, ultimately serving as CEO of Chase Home Lending after progressive leadership roles across consumer banking, business banking, home lending, and auto lending. He began his career as an M&A investment banker at Citigroup. Weinbach holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelor's degree in economics from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

About Radian
Radian Group Inc. (NYSE: RDN) is a trusted, global multi-line specialty insurer that helps businesses navigate risk with confidence. Built on financial strength and disciplined risk management, Radian brings clarity to complex risk decisions through its proprietary view of risk and a global perspective. Visit radian.com to learn how our collaborative and customer-centric culture transforms risk into a world of opportunity.

Mike Weinbach, CEO, Radian