Count Binface on Newsnight

Count Binface joins us in the studio.Hello, Bin.

It's Count, actually, but it's lovely to meet you, Paddy, the wonderful panel, Newsnight listeners.I've come down to Earth specially to be on Newsnight and because there are no World Cup games on, so I was at a loose end.

Well, now, look, here's the thing.We know that the Monster Raving Loony Party are running as well.So do you think it's time for a Loony Bin pact?

Well, look, the fact is if the Loonies and Farage want to fight amongst themselves for the...

No, I'm talking about you and the monster alien.I know you are.

I'm making a separate point.

Well, why don't you do a pact?

No, I don't need a pact with anybody.I'm quite happy, thank you.

Here, here.Well, hang on a minute, because why don't we...And indeed the SNP.It's very kind of you.I mean, these are serious times.Quite right.

Why don't you bin off the bin on Newsnight now?We know that your name is John, and we know really a lot about you.Isn't this time for serious times to bin off the bin?Oh, here we go.

I mean, has anyone here seen Return of the Jedi?Nobody wants to know what's underneath a recycle bin.It's disgusting.It's absolutely putrefying.Now, now, if you want to be serious with me, I'll tell you, you want to talk to Count Binfaith and then you get me on Newsnight and you start trying to deconstruct a character, I would say, what are we doing here on a programme which used to construct proper investigative journalism and now is a souped -up podcast, Paddy?

Well, I mean, a souped -up podcast is where people want to know about transparency.And this is the point.you're not transparent, and that's the criticism being made of Nigel Farage.What do you think about this yourself, to be A, on a sofa with Bin, and B, to be seeing this as the Clacton campaign unfolding?

Well, it's a bit of light relief.I think it's a masterstroke in some ways, because Nigel Farage is performative and populist and attention -grabbing, and it's where he is because he likes to make people laugh a lot.He's met probably his best rival,possible, someone else who's even more populist, even more performative, and actually probably much funnier in the pub as well.

And there is already a debate taking place in Parliament right now with potential representations to the Speaker, because were Count Binface to be elected as Count Binface, your mandate is as Count Binface.Under current parliamentary rules you wouldn't be allowed to appear in the chamber like this.And there are MPs right now thinking of writing to the Speaker saying, were you to be elected, that your mandate would have to be respected and you'd have to appear in the common chamber just like this.

And let's not beat about the bush.He actually said that.It's politics in 2026.And I think your viewers are going to be thinking, my goodness me, did we all just stay up too late watching England -Mexico?We all haven't had enough sleep and it's just one giant fever dream.Maybe this is just a group hallucination.

Maybe we're all in one of Christopher Nolan's Inceptions and it's a giant publicity stunt for the Odyssey.Who knows?

But the thing is, I'm just looking at the bookies because they're meant to know.William Hill are offering four to one odds.Labrix are offering seven to one.Could you win?Never tell me the odds.Do you think that it's a chance in this through the looking glass world we live in, Therese, that there could be a contest that's serious between, in terms of result and outcome, between these candidates in Clapton?

Well, I think the other parties have taken the right decision to not contest this by -election.It is a joke.I mean, literally, the circus.Circus Fantasia is going to Clapton next week, and they've already recruited their clown.He's called Nigel Farage.I mean, this is a real joke on the people of a town that is very proud of that, Frinton, and actually has the poorest part of the UK in Jaywick.

So I have to say, this stunt led by Nigel Farage deserves, frankly, to not get that much contest at all.And I hope that Count Binface won't be upset if people instead...in to other matters over the summer.

I should just say that I did say to Nigel Farage yesterday this is a stunt isn't it and he said no it's a gamble and he feels very very strongly that there are allegations about him about receiving this money.He believes under the rules he didn't need to declare it and he believes he's being unfairly maligned and he wants to take control of the narrative and face his voters.That's what Nigel Farage would say.

Exactly like Marine Le Pen in France.I mean, it's a similar pattern of populists who are trying to present themselves as being up against the establishment because they've fallen afoul of the rules.

OK.And Count Binface, are you going to Clapton?It might be a good place to start.

It might be.That's a little bit of patronising, but I'll take it in the spirit it's intended.Yeah, I might go.But, you know, apparently the current incumbent seems to spend more time in Washington, DC.So maybe I should go there first.We'll see.

Will it be a good, clean fight?I hope so.I'm not into ad hominem attacks.As Gillian was mentioning, I have a forward -thinking, fully -costed manifesto.And what's more, as Nick has been alluding to, and Tilly's, as I'm sure you're all aware, it costs roughly £348 ,000 to run a by -election, and there's a quite strong possibility there would be a second by -election if Farage were to win.So I can say here now on live BBC television, by voting Binface, you are saving the British taxpayer £350 ,000.

you can put that on the side of a bus and I haven't done anything.It's a win -win.

them into a servant of him and his publicity stunt.

Thank you all, thank you all very much, thank you.to you.We heard from Reform UK on the programme last night and there will likely be other candidates in the Clacton by -election which we will be covering further in the weeks to come.Thank you all.Let's have a look at the papers as they're coming in.The Daily Mirror, bin him off.

This voter's urge to teach Farage a lesson at the polls, says the Mail.Reform boss mocked after quit -stunt backfires.And there's a picture there of the Newsnight guest that we've got enjoying tonight on the front page of the Daily Mirror.The Daily Star, the same guest, the same Newsnight guest is on here.Count Binface exclusive from the Daily Star.What can I offer?

I'm not Farage, says...

I mean, it's a fact.