英国克拉克顿-塞尔补选将于本周四晚10点（伦敦时间）举行投票[1]，改革英国党领导人奈吉尔·法拉奇与喜剧人物Count Binface成为这场选举的主要竞争对手[1]。虽然这场对决因两位候选人的强烈反差获得广泛关注，但当地选民的热情并不高涨[1]。根据Survation民调，克拉克顿选民中73%支持法拉奇，仅20%支持Binface[1]。然而在全国范围内，Ipsos民调对1000名英国成年人的调查显示，33%表示会投票给Binface，而21%倾向改革英国党[1]。
Count Binface由喜剧编剧乔纳森·哈维创作，他曾为《厚黑阁僚》和《新闻有何不可》等讽刺喜剧节目创作剧本[1]。哈维的角色形象备受关注，尽管在此前的Makerfield补选中仅获得95票[1]。与此同时，法拉奇面临关于捐款的两项议会调查[1]，改革英国党获得的资金包括Christopher Harborne的500万英镑捐赠以及来自加密货币百万富翁George Cottrell的资金支持[1]。
克拉克顿-塞尔作为选区具有独特的人口特征[1]：94%的居民为白人英国人（全国平均76%），中位年龄58岁（全国为48岁），且65%的家庭处于贫困状态（全国为52%）[1]。两年前的大选中，该选区的投票率为58.7%[1]。
A by-election in Clacton-on-Sea is set to take place this Thursday, pitting Reform UK leader Nigel Farage against Count Binface, a comedic character created by Jonathan Harvey, a scriptwriter who has worked on satirical shows including "The Thick of It" and "Have I Got News for You."[1] While the contrast between the two candidates has garnered international attention, local voters appear largely unmoved by the contest.
Polling data reveals a stark disconnect between national and local sentiment.[1] A Survation survey of Clacton constituents shows Farage commanding 73 percent support compared to Binface's 20 percent, yet an Ipsos national poll of 1,000 British adults found 33 percent would vote for Binface against 21 percent favouring Reform UK.[1] The voting is scheduled to conclude Thursday evening at 10 p.m. London time.[1]
Clacton's demographic profile distinguishes it from the broader UK: the constituency is 94 percent white British compared to the national average of 76 percent, has a median age of 58 versus 48 nationally, and experiences poverty in 65 percent of households against a national figure of 52 percent.[1] The general election held two years prior saw a turnout of 58.7 percent in the area.[1]
Farage has received substantial funding for his campaign, including a 5 million-pound donation from Christopher Harborne and backing from George Cottrell, described as a cryptocurrency millionaire.[1] The by-election may represent an attempt by Farage to deflect from two separate parliamentary inquiries into his donations.[1] Count Binface, in a previous by-election in Makerfield, received 95 votes.[1]