Reform UK leader Nigel Farage regained his parliamentary seat on Friday (August 14) in an election he triggered to bolster his position against allegations of financial impropriety, a strategy that was undermined when his main challenger, a comedian dressed as a trash can, won more than a quarter of the vote.

Farage, one of Britain's leading Brexit campaigners, in a highly unusual move did not turn up at count in the southern English seaside resort of Clacton because he said the police had advised him that there was a campaign to disrupt the result.

The election was triggered after Farage resigned from parliament last month to seek a fresh mandate from voters in what he described as a war against an establishment bent on discrediting him over taking undeclared gifts from donors.

After Britain's main parties pulled out of the race, calling it a self-serving stunt, Farage's main challenger ended up being Count Binface, a figure created by comedian Jonathan Harvey, who has become a fixture of fun at British elections

While Farage took 62.8% of the vote, Count Binface, whose policies included capping the price of ice cream cones and conscripting anyone using a speakerphone on public transport, secured 26.7%.

After enjoying a lengthy lead in the opinion polls, Reform has seen its popularity wane, driven partly by the funding accusations made against Farage, who is under investigation in parliament over whether he should have declared a £5 million ($6.75 million) gift from a cryptocurrency billionaire investor.

After declaring his decision to trigger the election in Clacton little more than a ploy to distract from those allegations, other British parties pulled out of the race, leaving even some of Farage's strongest supporters questioning whether the veteran politician had been wrong-footed.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

1. COUNT BINFACE STANDING AMONG OTHER ELECTION CANDIDATES

2. RESULTS BEING READ OUT

3. BINFACE STANDING AMONG OTHER ELECTION CANDIDATES

4. BINFACE REACTING TO HIS VOTE RESULT

5. BINFACE OUTFIT

6. BINFACE AND OTHER CANDIDATED REACTING QUIETLY TO NIGEL FARAGE’S VOTE COUNT

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ELECTION CANDIDATE, COUNT BINFACE, SAYING:

“And I thought to hear the verdict of the Clactonites was the least I could do. And why? Because I've had over 9000 votes, guys. Now in Makerfield eight weeks ago I got 95 votes. So against Nigel Farage, compared to Andy Burnham, I am 1000 times more popular. Does that have anything to do with why he isn't here tonight? On a night when they said they thought they'd get over 80%. Again, I'll leave that to you. All I will say to you is what happens next. Let's all meet for part two of the Clacton by-election. Coming soon to a leisure centre near you.”

8. CANDIDATES STANDING IN LINE

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ELECTION CANDIDATE, COUNT BINFACE, SAYING ABOUT WHETHER HE WAS CONTACTED BY ESSEX POLICE REGARDING A SAFETY ISSUE:

“I asked them (Essex police) was there, because I was worried about myself and my binlings and my, and I, and I said, is there a problem? And they said to me all they could say to me, there was no threat to me. That's what they said to me.”

10. VARIOUS OF ELECTION COUNT IN PROGRESS