Clacton residents feels like the butt of a bad joke. ‘I saw Count Binface being interviewed – it made me really angry’

Clacton residents feels like the butt of a bad joke. ‘I saw Count Binface being interviewed – it made me really angry’ There are a record 34 candidates standing in Clacton-on-Sea’s by-election – but many voters say they feel nobody is taking them seriously. Nicole Wootton-Cane speaks to residents to find out what the election means beyond Farage versus Count Binface - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments It is lunchtime in the seaside town of Clacton-on-Sea, and things are heating up. It’s partly the stifling August temperatures, which have beckoned delighted holidaymakers to the English coast on a sweltering Wednesday afternoon. But there is also a curious energy coming from the town centre just a few streets away, where a small flyer is advertising an “open air public meeting” for candidates standing in the town’s upcoming by-election. It isn’t clear if the meeting is even today, but regardless, a lively collection of three would-be MPs have gathered to make their case to any willing passers-by. Voters in Clacton will go to the polls on Thursday to cast their ballots in a by-election triggered by the incumbent, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, when he resigned in July. It is an election that has been widely touted as Mr Farage vs Count Binface, with pollsters predicting the satirical candidate could take as much as 20 per cent of the vote. But on the ground, the reality is far less binary. Despite the fact that none of the major political parties are fielding a candidate, there are a record 34 people running to take Mr Farage’s place - eight more than the previous record set at the Haltemprice and Howden by-election in July 2008. Some, like Nick The Incredible Flying Brick from The Official Monster Raving Loony party, are hard to take seriously, but others are running on serious slates. Neither Mr Farage nor Count Binface are present for this “speaker’s corner” meeting, but several candidates have shown up. One, Independent candidate Joseph 77, is wearing a yellow hard hat that says “builder” across the front and standing next to a sign declaring: “Believe! Joseph 77 CAN WIN! Uplift Clacton AS YOUR NEW MP”, adorned with the St George’s flag and Union Jack. Another, Gerry Smith, is eagerly handing out leaflets with a young assistant. “I'm going to be honest with you. I'm standing because I saw Count Binface being interviewed on Newsnight and it made me very, very angry,” Ms Smith says when I ask about her platform. “It made me very angry that people have not been respected in this town. “I believe that people make Clacton, and the people of Clacton should be respected, and there should be a lot more infrastructure put into this area.” She isn’t alone in this sentiment. While the wider public has undoubtedly enjoyed the narrative of Farage versus bin, people in Clacton told me they felt they had been made the butt of a joke that does little to serve their community. Amy Smith, 37, said Clacton and its surrounding areas have been “let down” by Mr Farage, who she said has “lots of talk” but has done little to help areas such as Jaywick – part of the Clacton constituency that has been classed as the most deprived area of England for four years on the trot. She said she wishes the major political parties had taken “more of an interest” in the by-election. “Like anyone else, we deserve a chance,” she said. “We have that stigma we can’t get rid of, the whole area. Oh it’s Essex, or oh it’s Clacton, or it’s Jaywick and that. But like every other seaside town, we need facilities. “I don’t want it to end up like a typical seaside town.” It’s the middle of the school holidays in an exceptionally hot and dry summer, the kind of day towns like Clacton were built to make the most of. There are holidaymakers here – parents push buggies as children dart around their feet and partners push loved ones in wheelchairs. But aside from the tinny noises emerging from the colourful arcades, there is a muted quiet down the main road leading to the town’s Victorian pier, stretching out into the North Sea. Sat on a bench near the town’s promenade, Ashley Scott, from nearby Kirby Cross, says that while he usually votes, he doesn’t plan on casting a ballot next week. “None of the candidates really resonated with me,” the 35-year-old says, adding he believes Mr Farage is a “waste of space”. When I ask if he had seen Mr Farage in the area since he was elected in 2024, Mr Scott says he had seen him “once” – last week. “I saw him last week on the ferris wheel making some content,” he adds. “But then before the place got busy he just got in his Range Rover.” A regular voter, Mr Scott says he had been left feeling “lost” by none of the major parties standing. “Count Binface is a funny character, but he’s not really serious,” he explains. “I don’t really know where to go, to be honest.” On the other side of the road is the local Wetherspoons, which is heaving. As I walk in, a couple sat at a nearby table spot my microphone and ask if I am a reporter. They tell me they are also candidates standing in the by-election. I ask if they are went to the “open air public meeting” down the road, and they look at me blankly. Clearly not everyone got the message. Many in Clacton are still backing Mr Farage, who is widely projected to win. Stopping to talk outside one of the arcades lining the road to the beach, Larry Graham, 73, says the Reform UK leader has his vote “without any doubt”. “He’s the only bloke that will get this country out of trouble,” he insists. “If you vote for anybody else, we’re doomed.” He says he’d even be prepared for Mr Farage to make a pact with his ally-turned-rival Rupert Lowe, of Restore Britain, describing them as “on the same lines”. But even some of those who favour a hardline stance on immigration – Mr Farage’s flagship policy – say they are unconvinced by his rhetoric. Denise Pinkcombe, 61, says she wants the government to prioritise citizens over immigrants, but isn’t sure Mr Farage will bring about the changes she wants to see in her community. “I’m not sure about Farage. I’m not sure I can trust him,” she says. “I want someone who will do something for the borough. Homelessness is a big problem here. “When Andy Burnham started as prime minister, and he said he wanted to stop homelessness, I thought that was good.” One couple said they want tougher action on small boat migrants, but are unsure Reform UK will be able to actually fulfil his promises. But despite having 34 options, most residents I spoke to said they didn’t really feel they had a choice at all. “I’ve lost all hope,” one man says. “I don’t think I’ll vote for anyone. They’re all the same.” Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments [Image text:] I'MWITH NIGEL 13TH AUGUST