Count Binface, the self-styled intergalactic space warrior, has received nearly 10,000 votes in the Clacton by-election, his best performance yet.
The much-photographed election veteran was the main rival to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage in an election race caused by Farage resigning, only to run again – whichsparked a mass boycott by the other main UK parties.
Farage has re-won his seat, receiving more than 22,000 votes in Clacton, on the Essex coast.
But how many votes has he previously received? And where does he fit into the British tradition of spoofing politicians?
The man inside the bin is the comedian Jon Harvey, an Oxford graduate who has specialised in satire, writing scripts for BBC comedy shows The Thick of It and Have I Got News For You.
He first donned a bin on his head to stand for election in 2017, when he challenged the then Prime Minister Theresa May in her Maidenhead constituency, although back then he was known as Lord Buckethead, a character inspired by a Star Wars parody film.
Harvey found himself a different bin to cover his head and switched characters to Count Binface to take on the next Conservative leader, Boris Johnson, announcing himself as the leader of the Recyclons from planet Sigma IX.
He only won 69 votes, but was again able to take his place on stage as the election result was declared alongside a sitting prime minister, who was also flanked by a candidate dressed as the Sesame Street character Elmo, at his Uxbridge election count.
A third Conservative leader, Rishi Sunak, was in Count Binface’s sights in the 2024 general election campaign.
He got 308 votes, which at the time was his best result.
In June this year, it was Andy Burnham’s turn to face Binface in the by-election that paved the way for the then Greater Manchester Mayor to become prime minister.
Rather than studiously ignoring the intergalactic warlord, as some may have been tempted to do, Burnham shook him warmly by the hand as he was elected Labour MP for Makerfield.