‘Elmo, Nick the Brick’: Proof the UK is weird

The UK election has been a landslide for the Labour Party, but it’s also gotten really weird - and the internet is confused.

A landslide vote in the UK’s general election will all but certainly see Prime Minister Rishi Sunak booted from 10 Downing Street, but it’s the bizarre series of characters which has confused the internet.

In a strange tradition no one quite understands, a mysterious figure called Count Binface - yes, a man dressed as some kind of medieval knight with a bin for a head - has run for election in the same seat as the sitting prime minister.

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer - the Labour leader and projected next prime minister - has won his seat in north London, alongside a man called ‘Nick the Flying Brick’ and another dressed as Elmo.

The next British PM is seen at his constituency count in North London, alongside a man dressed as Elmo and another called ‘Nick the Flying Brick’. Picture: Sky News

There are just some of a series of strange characters who appear in every British election, including another called Lord Buckethead who, yes, you guessed it, has a bucket on his head.

The odd but enjoyable tradition means that on the stage when the result is announced in Mr Sunak’s constituency, Richmond and Northallerton in North Yorkshire, the sitting PM will be forced to stand next to a man with a bin for a head.

Mr Sunak, who has lead the country since Liz Truss was ousted back in October 2022, was said to be “genuinely fearful” he’d lose his seat, which would be the first time in British history a sitting PM has been ousted entirely from parliament during an election.

Count Binface’s real name is Jon Harvey, a British comedian who first stood against Boris Johnson in 2019.

Read more of our UK election coverage here

Sir Archibald Stanton of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party attends the count for the Richmond and Northallerton constituency during the UK general election. (Photo by Darren Staples - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Satirical political character 'Count Binface' speaks to journalists during the count for the Richmond and Northallerton constituency during the UK general election on July 5, 2024 in Northallerton, England. The incumbent MP is the Prime Minister and Conservative Party Leader Rishi Sunak. (Photo by Darren Staples - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Count Binface is running against the UK prime minister Rishi Sunak.

He has since stood for London mayor twice.

The “intergalatic space warrior’s” policies include national service for all former prime minister, and nationalising the singer Adele.

One Ipsos survey found that Mr Sunak was only four points ahead of Count Binface.

Spaking to the Washington Post about another of his policies, banning loud snacks in theatres, Count Binface said: “What’s the point of going out and spending half your mortgage and you can’t hear anything because of the noisy snack brigade? It’s madness.”

He has referred to the July 4 election as “Bindependence Day”.

Rishi Sunak could face a thumping in his own constituency. (Photo by Claudia Greco / POOL / AFP)

Labour will win a “historic” landslide win at the UK election, the official exit poll has stated.

But a far right party is set to do far better than expected in what is being called a “seismic” result.

People across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland went to the polls on Thursday, UK time, to pick their local member of parliament.

Mr Sunak’s time as British Prime Minister is set to come to an end with Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer meeting King Charles to become the new PM as early as Friday morning, UK time.

“An electoral meteor has now struck planet earth,” said one former Labour minister on the drubbing of the Tories, as the Conservatives are also known.

Count Binface also ran against Boris Johnson in the last election.

A party needs 326 MPs to have an outright majority in the 650 member House of Commons.

The BBC-ITV-Sky exit poll, which was revealed at 10pm (7am AEST) just as polling places closed, has stated that Labour could win a massive 410 seats, up by 209.

“Labour are heading for a very sizeable, historically big majority,” said BBC political correspondent Chris Mason.

The Conservatives are forecast to be on just 131, down 241 MPs. But it’s better than some polls which suggested it could get only 60 seats.

The Liberal Democrats could win 61 seats, a gain of 53, while the Scottish National Party (SNP) is tipped to lose 38 seats to just 10.In one of the bigger stories of the night, Nigel Farage’s right-wing Reform party could win as many as 13 seats, far more than expected.