Five-million Farage has flounced out of parliament in order to pause the investigations into his alleged corruption, but other major parties are refusing to contest the resulting by-election, potentially leaving him facing Count Binface as his biggest rival. With the British public’s love of the underdog and refusing to do what’s expected - remember Boaty McBoatface? - I wouldn’t bet against it being Count Binface MP soon.

  • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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    23 hours ago

    I just love that the political manoeuvre to counter Farage is to just ignore him until he tires himself out.

    Not that this by-election will change anything, when he wins (although it would be hilarious if he didn’t) he will be an MP again, so the investigation will continue. Meanwhile the entire time this is going on, journalists will constantly go and prod him in order to get a reaction.

    I’m really not convinced he’s all that bright, because he was in a hole that he dog for himself and now he’s managed to turn that hole into the second grand canyon.

    • TheEmpireStrikesDak
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      21 hours ago

      The media won’t stop reporting on this guy every time he so much as farts. Radio 5 is his propaganda machine.

      But maybe the tide is turning. In any case, he’s definitely getting tetchy. Hold his feet to the fire, he will melt like the greasy little frog he is.

  • anothermember@feddit.uk
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    2 days ago

    Good, that’s the only way to play this one.

    The other alternatives: if all parties had contested it would split the vote. Any united progressive candidate would have trouble winning in Clacton. An all-party backed opposition candidate would have been unlikely and would easily be painted as “the establishment” by Farage.

    As things are: an independent novelty candidate might actually have the best chance, small as it may be, of beating Farage if they can capture all the protest vote (the absolute majority of Clacton didn’t vote Farage in the last election). Or worst, most likely, case Farage wins a hollow victory unopposed by major parties, he hasn’t made his point, things stay the same only now he’s seen as wasting everyone’s time.

    • TheEmpireStrikesDak
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      1 day ago

      Wow, so they actually did it. Bully for them.

      Binface vs Frogface.

      Worst case of Binface losing still means Five Mil Frogface having his finances investigated.

      Who knows, if they find enough dirt, it might even turn into a criminal investigation, given the laundering accusations.

      • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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        23 hours ago

        Surely he must have taken money from the Russians just like his mate did.

        I bet there’s some newspaper out there just sitting on this story waiting for the optimum time to spring it. Which will be just before the election. I’d actually be prepared to put money on that.

        • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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          23 hours ago

          I can’t wait for the return of ceefax. It’s where all my holidays came from when I was a kid.

          • TheEmpireStrikesDak
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            21 hours ago

            Same, but it was Teletext, not Ceefax. My dad got me and my sister tickets to Barbados for £400 return. So first they shipped us off, then when we came back, they shipped the older two off. But they got to extend theirs to four weeks and they got to boat over to Trinidad and Tobago. Still bitter about it.

            I got my message on Backchat once and that’s how I found out my friend in Year 12 also read it haha. She recognised me even with a pseudonym.

  • minty@aussie.zone
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    2 days ago

    If count bin face got in would he be able to wear his costume in Parliament?

  • Séimhe (sé / é)@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    It’s impressive to see the other parties unified in their strategy, which also seems to be a smart one. I heard Zack Polanski say (can’t remember when) that the people of Clacton need to reject Farage, so I wondered if they were running a candidate, but that’s not the case either.

    • ModCen@feddit.uk
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      1 day ago

      Maybe they’re not unified because they believe in a common good, but instead because it serves the interests of each of them to see Farage make a fool of himself and potentially lose support in the polls

      • Séimhe (sé / é)@lemmy.world
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        22 hours ago

        I’m not in/from Britain myself but it does seem to make him look foolish.

        Like in a comedy when a volunteer is sought from a line of people and everyone but one inattentive person takes a step back.

      • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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        23 hours ago

        Well yeah. Farage is a threat to everyone one way or another.

        He’s eating the Conservatives alive they need to get rid of him.

        He’s pulling Labour to the right and there is some understanding within the party that that’s not a good thing.

        The Lib Dems are finding it difficult enough to get anyone to vote for them when there’s only other two options, they don’t need a third

        He’s not really a threat to the Greens, I suspect they just want him gone because he’s in the pockets of the oil industry.

        And of course Rupert Lowe hates him, and is totally on board with anything that humiliates Farage.

  • Corporal_Punishment@feddit.uk
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    2 days ago

    I agree with the sentiment of the other parties, but guaranteeing this worm the ability to say “i won with 100% of the vote” seems wrong.