Sawt Falasteen - UK vote count under way in Farage, Binface showdown

The snap poll, called when Farage resigned last month from parliament amid scrutiny into his finances, was dismissed by some voters in the eastern constituency of Clacton as a "farce".

The main political parties sat out the election, calling it a stunt by Farage to dodge scrutiny, leaving the hard-right Reform UK leader to battle it out with joke candidate Binface, the alter ego of comedian Jon Harvey.

The vote count was set to run through the night and results expected by around 7:00 am (0600 GMT) Friday, with a record 32 other fringe candidates joining Farage and Binface on the ballot paper.

Farage was predicted to easily win the seat he first swept in the 2024 general election, but analysts warned that Binface could get an unprecedented 20 percent of the vote.

Farage already declared victory, telling GB News just after midnight that he had won "fairly convincingly".

"I've managed to beat the establishment candidate," he said in an event at Essex.

"Look, this is an overwhelming endorsement of me. I have had enough of being judged by mainstream media, being called a criminal."

"I think it'll be a close one between Binface and Nigel. I would love to see Binface win," said 23-year-old Michael, who wasn't registered to vote in the area but was hanging around the main town of Clacton-on-Sea as polling day drew to a close.

Even if Farage emerges victorious, experts say his attempt to regain political momentum had backfired.

His "spoof" contender was making him "look rather silly", Queen Mary University of London politics professor Stijn van Kessel told AFP.

Farage announced his surprise resignation on July 7 amid a parliamentary probe into allegations he and Reform's deputy, Richard Tice, failed to declare financial gifts.

Both deny any wrongdoing.

- 'Bin day cometh' -

The leader of the hard-right Reform UK party, which topped polls for 18 months but has slipped recently, framed the vote as "the people of Clacton versus the Establishment", aimed at thwarting the "stitch-up" over his finances.

"Today my record in public office will be judged by the people of Clacton, not by politicians and the media in Westminster," Farage posted on X as polls opened on Thursday.

"Bin day cometh," quipped Binface, the self-styled "intergalactic space warrior" from the fictional planet Sigma IX.

While experts played down the wider significance of the vote in a constituency that overwhelmingly backed Brexit a decade ago, the by-election has drawn international attention and amusement.

Voters in the coastal community were less enthusiastic, however, with even local Reform supporters dismissing the poll.

"It's a bit ridiculous," party campaigner Jane Embelton told AFP of the long list of fringe candidates running.

"I think it's all to make Nigel Farage look like an idiot, basically. But he doesn't look like an idiot to me or his supporters."

If Farage regains his seat, the investigation into his finances will resume. If he is found to be at fault and suspended, another by-election could be triggered.

"It's a farce," said local voter Paul, in his 50s, who accused mainstream parties of "disrespecting the people of Clacton" by not running candidates.

- Financial probes -

Farage netted 46 percent of the vote in the 2024 general election to become an MP on his eighth attempt.

Turnout -- nearly 59 percent then -- could be significantly down Thursday among the constituency's 80,000 registered voters, given the lack of mainstream party candidates.

The probe into Farage relates to a five-million-pound ($6.7 million) donation from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne.

Meanwhile, London police have confirmed starting a investigation last year into donations to Reform before the 2024 election.

UK media have reported that the probe concerns non-declared financial support from longtime Farage ally and convicted fraudster George Cottrell and his mother.

The controversies have coincided with the drop in Reform polling support and in popularity for Farage, long a divisive figure loved and loathed in largely equal measure.

Y.Shaath--SF-PST