oh

(tiny sample size but tbh this probably underrates the boomer nonsense over there if anything)

The 1% candidate for what it’s worth is Gerry Smith (female), who is campaigning for better support for people who have left the care system. She’s given an address in Glasgow; quite a few of the candidates are not of the parish.

Please let today be forever known as Bin Day.

REF 22,239

BIN 9,455

Farage did not attend the count, first citing a desire to avoid being 'humiliated by nobodies', but later claiming Essex Police had told him there was a threat and advised him not to attend, something the Police have stepped in to expressly deny.

pathetic to the last

Only winning 63-26 is still embarassing (and I imagine that's the highest Binface has or will ever get in one of these), given there was literally no other alternative competition. I think Farage's hopes of PM are over, I've noticed most of the tabloids are turning back to the Tories now (not the least as the investigation will resume again now which if he is found guilty...he'll have to step down anyway, so God knows what the hell the point of all this was x)

Do you think he found the loophole he needed for this investigation during this stalking tactic?

He got significantly lower than any of the pre-vote polls were suggesting.

In fact getting 63% as basically the only 'serious' candidate is pretty poor - especially for an area like Clacton.

Apparently the last by-election winner not to turn up to the declaration was Bobby Sands, although in fairness he did have a good excuse.

It feels like it'll be a result which can be spin to suit whichever narrative you want. More people voted for Farage than did in 2024 when the incentive to vote was much lower given the only other candidates were essentially a joke. It's not exactly unsuccessful for him.

Don't think it's news but it's at least confirmation that many right wing voters don't care about right wing corruption. I mean it took a LOT of sleaze and chaos (+ cost of living pressures/actual governmental mismanagement) to finally bring Boris Johnson down.

6 hours ago, Harve said:

Don't think it's news but it's at least confirmation that many right wing voters don't care about right wing corruption. I mean it took a LOT of sleaze and chaos (+ cost of living pressures/actual governmental mismanagement) to finally bring Boris Johnson down.

Stand by for next week’s scandal when it emerges that someone once bought Andy Burnham a Mars bar.

On 14/08/2026 at 20:17, Suedehead2 said:

Stand by for next week’s scandal when it emerges that someone once bought Andy Burnham a Mars bar.

Or the Faily Mail reporting his weight when he was out for a run. Stories like that should really be banned

By-Electiojn incoming...

Kier Starmer is standing down as an MP, triggering a by-election

BBC News

Keir Starmer announces he is standing down as MP

The former prime minister said he would now turn his focus to international affairs.

Keir Starmer won Holborn & St Pancras with 49% of the vote in 2024, which was actually DOWN on what he got in 2019 (64.5%). The Greens will fancy their chances in this one, perhaps Mr Polanski may give this one a go if Labour don't go for a big name (David Miliband has already ruled himself out). I wonder if the officially hilarious Count Binface will make an appearance at this one too.

Funny that despite what we were told before he called the General Election in 2024, Rishi Sunak ended up being a backbencher for much longer than Starmer.

No surprise aul Keith resigning today with exquisite timing with Burnham first day in the Commons. Not like Starmer was in politics to represent his constituents.

Zack Polanski gearing up to run for Holborn & St Pancras.

Labour look likely to select Sagal Abdi-Wali, Somalian-born and leader of Camden Borough Council. If so, a good choice to combat the Greens but we will see.

Expecting the reporting of this one to confuse the commentariat. It's a constituency that probably more people than average in the UK have actually visited. I've been there, of course, as it has a large part of Central London in it and I don't think that's true of many other by-election seats. Point is, a busy campaign will be very noticeable and much of the public will have personal experience of what the area is like.

It's also one of the few completely left-wing seats in the UK, strong Labour, no real sign necessarily that Starmer had a personal vote that was more centrist, Reform and the Conservatives under 15% combined on the last election. Andrew Feinstein, the independent last time, is not running, so a large part of his vote is likely Green.

Will be very interesting to see which narrative prevails, Labour probably start ahead, but if you're a student or minority voter in Holborn who isn't yet convinced that Burnham will be meaningfully different from Starmer, a great opportunity to vote to get the Green Party Leader in Parliament if Polanski is indeed on the ballot.

That'd be a massive blow to Polanski is he loses won't it?

Bit of a gamble for him.

Absolutely - probably coming at a time before it could be an issue for Burnham in terms of his honeymoon period ending. But who knows what will happen between now and then…..

The Holborn & St Pancras by-election will take place on October 8.

Interestingly, it looks like Zack Polanski has competition for the Green Party nomination for this constituency, with a local councillor putting his hat in the ring as well -

Wonder if this is set so Polanski can give the seat a miss….