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Count Binface

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Re: Count Binface

#181

Post by bluehatbrit »

ayaros wrote: post #87

I have so many questions... I wonder how the legalities of this work. If people write in "Count Binface" or if that's the name on the ballot, then if he wins, does that mean Jonathan David Harvey (the actual name of the guy who plays him) is elected? Does Count Binface count as an alias? If not, he required to use that name while in office - or more precisely, is he not considered a member if he goes by his own name?…

The British constitution is unwritten and based on centuries of convention which are so old they are considered law... Sort of.

From what I can tell there isn't anything about identity in the way you're suggesting. However there are conventions and regulations around dress in the Commons which preclude wearing hats.

As for what he'd do if he won, he hasn't said so far. However he does have a policy list which includes nationalising Adel and building 1 affordable home. As an MP he could campaign for those and attempt to table a private members bill.

I think the answer to a lot of these questions is "we don't know". He's been running in various campaigns for years, this is just the first time he's the only other candidate in a potentially high profile campaign.

I hope some Oxfoed PPE students will be using this for their dissertations.

Re: Count Binface

#182

Post by drcongo »

gadders wrote: post #166
MarcScott wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Very briefly: Farage received a "gift" of £5M. He didn't tell parliament about the gift, which breaks the rules. MPs or campaigning MPs need to declare gifts and donations, as there are strict rules on who you can receive money from. The media found out about the "gift", and Farage was going to be investigated. He resigned as MP for Clacton, which stops the investigation and triggers an election. I think his plan was…

[flagged]

Leaking information to friendly journalists is the entire mechanism of British politics.

Re: Count Binface

#183

Post by [deleted] »

a_humean wrote: post #112
ayaros wrote: post #87

I have so many questions... I wonder how the legalities of this work. If people write in "Count Binface" or if that's the name on the ballot, then if he wins, does that mean Jonathan David Harvey (the actual name of the guy who plays him) is elected? Does Count Binface count as an alias? If not, he required to use that name while in office - or more precisely, is he not considered a member if he goes by his own name?…

The biggest practical obstacle, other than getting elected, is the dress code for the house of commons which disallows military uniform, disallows face covering (while voting), and requires smart business attire. You could argue that he might be in violation of all three! The name isn't really that much of a problem.

[deleted]

Re: Count Binface

#184

Post by pjc50 »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #9

"Harvey previously stood as a similar character, Lord Buckethead, but was forced to create a new character due to a dispute with the filmmaker Todd Durham, who owns the Buckethead character" [1]. (The videos on this website are worth the watch. Hilarious, of course. But also...Binface conjugates Latin to Sky News , and not just as a bit. I don't know how I feel about the British comedy candidate outclassing half of t…

Note that the ability to conjugate Latin does not correlate with good character, despite what the English public school system would have you think. Most famous example of that is of course Enoch Powell.

It is however true that you're only allowed to say true, intelligent things in British politics if you're a joke candidate. Jester's privilege. Binface has driven the rightwing press mad because he's the last threat to their darling candidate, so they're now trying to smear him as if he were a serious candidate. Which he is not. The end result is very funny.

Re: Count Binface

#185

Post by dofm »

prohobo wrote: post #171
dofm wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This doesn't make a fool of Farage though! I sense that you are not British, but you can trust us when we say this has absolutely made a fool of him to the British public. This is really a bespoke kind of humiliation.

I lived in London for six years starting just before Brexit, so I watched this exact confidence up close. The British public "knowing" Farage is damaged is not new, it's not justified, and it doesn't do anything except make people feel better on social media. I'm pretty sure that just like every other backhanded attempt to squash the populists, this will backfire. I can't know that of course, but I'm pattern-matching…

He is noticeably more damaged now, believe me. Everyone thinks this election was at least a stupid idea and it is his stupid idea designed for his personal benefit.

You are right that it could backfire, but to give you a much longer and more analytical answer, here is the picture as Farage understands it and why he did what he did:

- Farage is the leader of an insurgent party with the ability to command national media attention. He can make the main news channels attend.

- He was already MP with a large majority off a pretty good, recent turnout.

- There is no local media at all to speak of — no local newspaper worth a damn, no local TV, no other earned media

- The election is five or six weeks away.

- No national party can stand up an adequate candidate in a parliamentary constituency election in that time. It will be novices, first-time candidates with poor name recognition.

So the above is the election he wanted to fight, right?

If any of the main parties stand up candidates, they will all feel they have to contest it so as not to lose vote share to Farage, and Farage wins.

If nobody stands up, Farage wins.

And if a novelty candidate stands up, Farage wins.

Whichever way, the outcome after the by-election is the same as the one before: Farage is going to be the MP for Clacton. So given that this happens regardless — it cannot be stopped even though he started it for his own benefit — what is the best outcome for people who wish to see Farage politically damaged?

It is not the first one, because that is the specific outcome Farage wanted.

This way he now has to campaign around the simple story: he is fighting for his political skin, and his main campaign position to the people of Clacton (and deprived Jaywick) is that it's OK he's been given money and gifts by crypto billionaires and convicted fraudsters and that it's unfair for that to be investigated.

This is not at all a backhanded thing; it's open party politics. The last time this was done it was done to a fully establishment Tory (David Davis) who resigned to fight a by-election on a single issue.

He'll still be under investigation(s) when he comes back, and he won't be able to blunt the impact of those investigations by claiming that he has beaten all the establishment candidates. This is the best path forward.

Re: Count Binface

#186

Post by nephihaha »

Count Binface went to Oxbridge apparently, so if he gets in, he'll still be part of the establishment. Not really sure he's any wiser about working class life than Nigel Farage (being part of the Galactic aristocracy doesn't help much either.)

However, I did like his suggestions to build at least one affordable home and rename HS2, the FFS1.

Re: Count Binface

#187

Post by petepete »

Macha wrote: post #139
Havoc wrote: post #52

I hope he wins the upcoming election. Won’t but one can hope… The actual politician he’s standing against is an asshole

I think Binface is going to smash his own records and get to like 20%. Farage will get enough that Farage is going to claim the result as a decisive victory while at the same time the result is actually deeply embarrassing for Farage.

While I think your prediction is going to come true, deep down I'm rooting for Binface.

He wouldn't get away with his headgear in the commons but top hats are permitted (at least when not speaking) so he has some room for manoeuvre.

Re: Count Binface

#188

Post by JsonDemWitOster »

lambdaone wrote: post #118
a_humean wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The biggest practical obstacle, other than getting elected, is the dress code for the house of commons which disallows military uniform, disallows face covering (while voting), and requires smart business attire. You could argue that he might be in violation of all three! The name isn't really that much of a problem.

To be fair, we really don't know what counts as smart business attire on Sigma IX.

I thought you were making a reference to Six Sigma and their distinguished Black Belts. Like, who knows what they call themselves today?

My apologies to the beautiful people of Recyclon for the unflattering comparison.

Re: Count Binface

#189

Post by Alpha3031 »

frakrx wrote: post #127
athrowaway3z wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you wildly misunderstand the situation. If what you think is true, why did Farage step down call the election in the first place? It seems rather clear it was a PR stunt he knows he'll win in this district, which lets him distract from his own corruption scandals. But if you think there is some other reason I'd be interesting to hear the theory.

A joke candidate with a bincan head has about 15-20% odds of winning this election. A serious candidate from a real party could have a real chance of defeating Farage but seems noone was brave enough. Better play it safe, take no risks and run away from fights. Thats the way forward for UK.

Why bother when they'll more likely than not run it again in a few months anyway?
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