UK satirical candidate Binface runs in multiple constituencies with absurdist pledges

LONDON — A candidate known as Binface is contesting several parliamentary constituencies ahead of the United Kingdom's general election on July 4, running on a platform of deliberately absurd pledges, according to the BBC. His campaign promises include making manhole covers compulsory, exempting pastries from tax, and urging Prince Andrew to leave the country. Binface, whose real name has not been disclosed in the report, is among the joke candidates who traditionally appear on British ballots. Organizers say the candidate's goal is to draw voters into the political process and to use humor to comment on mainstream political discourse, offering an alternative to the platforms of established parties. Satirical candidacies have long occupied a symbolic place in British electoral culture, with figures appearing across multiple constituencies without realistic prospects of winning. Binface's platform has generated attention on social media, where supporters have circulated his pledges, though no vote share estimates have been reported.