Reform UK leader Farage faces parody candidate in by-election

A small British seaside town voted Thursday in a special election between a hard-right populist and a man who wears a trash can on his head.Reform UK leader Nigel Farage resigned to call the by-election after being accused of accepting an unlawful gift, but no major parties ran against him, and one of British politics’ many novelty candidates, Count Binface, is his only noteworthy opponent. It is “an unserious politics for a time of decadence,” an observer wrote in The New York Times; Farage will likely win, but at some cost to his reputation. Adding to Reform’s woes, their recent nationwide poll lead has evaporated, with new Prime Minister Andy Burnham boosting incumbent Labour’s standing.