Farage wins Clacton by-election, defeats rival Count Binface

In the UK's Clacton by-election, populist leader Nigel Farage secured a decisive victory, winning over 63% of the vote. Running as the 'Count Binface' - a comedian dressed as a trash can, his main challenger secured around 27% of the vote. The turnout for the special election was 44%, while Britain's major parties boycotted the race, deeming it a self-serving stunt.

Farage had resigned his seat earlier to trigger the vote, amid an investigation into an undeclared £5 million gift from a crypto billionaire. Farage skipped the official count, citing threats of an organized campaign to disrupt the result, an allegation Essex police dismissed as credible but said a proportionate security operation was in place.

The win doesn't resolve Farage's political troubles, as the parliamentary standards investigation, paused during his resignation, is expected to resume. Reform UK's Farage said the £5 million was a personal gift he wasn't legally required to declare. Despite Farage's win, Reform UK's national polling shows a decline, while Labour Party under new Prime Minister Andy Burnham is gaining ground.

'Count Binface' is a satirical alter ego of comedian Jon Harvey, who campaigns with a trash can on his head. While he was expected to receive a large share of the vote, his success didn't exceed 20%.