Because the mainstream parties have refused to stand candidates in opposition to Farage, stating "it's a stunt" there is some feeling Binface will not only get his deposit back, if the protest vote is strong enough...
Farage is very popular in Clacton. It's an older, reactionary community but british elections are First-Past-The-Post and normally have a low turn out so if enough old people died after the last election and enough younger people come out to vote, it is possible although I personally think unlikely, Binface will win.
Regrettably, for purists, and those who want Binface to win, other novelty candidates are now standing. The man dressed as a fox, and the monster raving loony party. Both appear to be somewhat petulant, MRLP is unhappy Binface has taken their spot in novelty candidature, and there are rumours MRLP and Mr Fox are being funded by right wing parties opposed to Farage. British Politics are very strange.
If the UK had proportional/transferrable votes, these alternate candidates would ultimately send votes to Binface in all likelihood. But, thats not how it works in British Parliamentary elections and by-elections. Forms of complex vote are used for the regional devolved parliaments in Wales and Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Andy Burnham (the future Labour prime minister from Manchester replacing Sir Keir Starmer) has previously indicated support for ending FPTP but people often say this before achieving power, and then fail to make it happen in power. Should he carry out another proposed idea of "a Parliament for England" based in the north, then it is likely as for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland it would not use FPTP.
Why is it atypical? It’s a joke candidate running against a populist right wing politician with some real support. It’s exactly the kind of societal commentary this community finds interesting
Because the world has hacks outside of tech and a life outside tech. Most of the interesting articles on HN are things like today's lost city in egypt, not oh look lols my llm performs well.
https://archive.is/iOP0s
Why is this on the front page of hacker news?
As the Count might say himself: why not?
- interview on BBC Morning Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAXT5xf9ot4
- interview on The Today Programme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGOmzQbRT_E
- interview with Andrew Marr on LBC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRBh7uGwxmU
I dunno if Hacker News encompasses hacker culture, but I’d say novelty candidates are absolutely hacker culture.
Because the mainstream parties have refused to stand candidates in opposition to Farage, stating "it's a stunt" there is some feeling Binface will not only get his deposit back, if the protest vote is strong enough...
Farage is very popular in Clacton. It's an older, reactionary community but british elections are First-Past-The-Post and normally have a low turn out so if enough old people died after the last election and enough younger people come out to vote, it is possible although I personally think unlikely, Binface will win.
Regrettably, for purists, and those who want Binface to win, other novelty candidates are now standing. The man dressed as a fox, and the monster raving loony party. Both appear to be somewhat petulant, MRLP is unhappy Binface has taken their spot in novelty candidature, and there are rumours MRLP and Mr Fox are being funded by right wing parties opposed to Farage. British Politics are very strange.
If the UK had proportional/transferrable votes, these alternate candidates would ultimately send votes to Binface in all likelihood. But, thats not how it works in British Parliamentary elections and by-elections. Forms of complex vote are used for the regional devolved parliaments in Wales and Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Andy Burnham (the future Labour prime minister from Manchester replacing Sir Keir Starmer) has previously indicated support for ending FPTP but people often say this before achieving power, and then fail to make it happen in power. Should he carry out another proposed idea of "a Parliament for England" based in the north, then it is likely as for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland it would not use FPTP.
Same reason as always. Someone found it interesting and submitted it. Others found it interesting and up voted it within a period of time.
I'm amused that hacker news crowd finds this front page worthy.
Why is it atypical? It’s a joke candidate running against a populist right wing politician with some real support. It’s exactly the kind of societal commentary this community finds interesting
Because the world has hacks outside of tech and a life outside tech. Most of the interesting articles on HN are things like today's lost city in egypt, not oh look lols my llm performs well.
I just submit things I find interesting and occasionally other people find it interesting too. Usually opposite to what I expected.
Such is the state of British politics?
Such is the state of politics worldwide?
Did you not read the article? They are re-writing Count Binface in Rust.