Could a Count BinFace candidate run in an irish election

[joe sod]

All the focus is on Count BinFace in the recent byelection for Andy Burnham and now in the byelection after resignation of Nigel Farage. There are also other character type candidates and the "raving monster loony party" .
My question is could a candidate like that run in an irish election, we so far have never had candidates like that whereas the UK has a rich history of them. Is there much more strict rules about who can run in elections here precluding candidates like that from running or is just that nobody has done it?

 

[Purple]

Have you never heard of Mick Wallace?

 

[JoeRoberts]

We tried it with Dustin

 

[odyssey06]

Are you thinking of running

 

[joe sod]

Are you thinking of running

No but the issue of Count running against Farage and the major parties deciding not to field candidates is a big issue in UK. Its not exactly a joke candidate any longer just wondering is there any hard reasons why we have never had such candidates here?

 

[odyssey06]

Its not exactly a joke candidate any longer just wondering is there any hard reasons why we have never had such candidates here?

It's a timely question. I'd been aware of Count Binface for a while, as much for his comedy work \ restore BBC Ceefax campaign which is quite humourous as the political stunts... he seems to have gone 'viral' of late.

These are the Irish and UK requirements. I don't see anything in the requirements that would explain it. So I guess it comes down to perhaps having a tradition of it, a less crowded field in UK single seat constituencies. Perhaps it is just we never had a Monster Raving Loony Party to keep the idea in the public eye.

In the UK it is a £500 deposit.

In Ireland it is one of:

• A Certificate of Party Affiliation, or
• Statutory declarations signed by 30 constituents, or
• A deposit of €500

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/government-in-ireland/elections-and-referenda/types-of-elections-and-referendums/the-general-election/#f5bd6f

https://www.parliament.uk/about/mps-and-lords/members/electing-mps/candidates/

 

[odyssey06]

The closest we have here to Count Binface are the humourous election posters that pop up for 'fake' candidates not actually on the ballot e.g. I spotted this in my area.

A Human Leading Humans Into The Future

 

[joe sod]

https://www.independent.ie/world-news/the-strange-and-surprisingly-moving-story-behind-count-binface-the-man-taking-on-nigel-farage/a/158518711.html

interesting piece on the man behind Count BinFace.
@odyssey06 he seems to run against high profile candidates like boris johnson, andy burnham and now Farage. Maybe thats the reason we don't have such character type candidates in irish elections, we don't really have very high profile ministers or even taoiseach, so a binface type character would just fall flat against a non descript irish minister or taoiseach. Also irish politics is so parochial and non idealogical that there would be nothing for a binface character to feed off of for comedy. Maybe only against a gerry adams or ian paisley could it have worked because they had such huge international profiles

 

[Leper]

Remember Bernie Murphy?? And backed by the professional elite of Cork.

 

[odyssey06]

I think how the results are presented in UK means you have all the candidates lined up, media waiting and the results announced at same time. So coverage of the candidates shows eg Binface and the high profile politician.
You wouldnt get that footage here. Binface would likely be eliminated in early rounds and wouldnt get that big media moment.

 

[Sister Sara]

A qualified solicitor as I understand

As for Binface, if all the other candidates stand aside in protest at Farage's underhanded resignation, then I'd imagine a concerted plan to vote for Binface in opposition to Farage may succeed.

That would be some humiliation.

 

[odyssey06]

Farage is still massive favourite with bookies (e.g. 1/7), but Binface's odds have come down to 5/1 from 250/1.

 

[PMU]

BinFace is a disgrace, and it reflects poorly on British society that he is humoured. We must never forget Tony Benn' s dictum that: “The vote is the most powerful instrument we have. People fought and died for it. Never let anyone belittle it”.

 

[odyssey06]

BinFace is a disgrace, and it reflects poorly on British society that he is humoured.

I don't think he is belittling the right to vote. One of the things British people fought and died for, was that such eccentrics could exist.
And yes, they stand on the same platform at an election as other politicians.
Do you think those who abused democracy to steal their way to power like Hitler, would tolerate Binface?

The real disgrace is Farage, and Binface is belittling that corrupt ball of hate.
It reflects a million times more poorly on British society that Farage is elected.

 

[charlie007]

And backed by the professional elite of Cork.

Who made a few pounds for their troubles or is that an urban myth?

 

[Leper]

I don’t know if the won at the bookies, but it was two fingers to the people of Cork from our professional elite. There is no other way to describe what was thought up by them.

 

[Protocol]

John O'Leary, from Cork, has run in multiple constituencies in several elections.

Business man who contested general elections in Kerry on ballot for Dublin and Galway by-elections | RadioKerry.ie

An independent candidate who has contested general elections in Kerry, is running the upcoming by-elections in Dublin and Galway.

www.radiokerry.ie

He ran in six constituencies in the 2024 general election, and in 11 constituencies in the 2020 general election.

He is against waste in public spending.

 

[Purple]

And backed by the professional elite of Cork

I didn't know there was such a thing.

 

[Sister Sara]

We must never forget Tony Benn' s dictum that: “The vote is the most powerful instrument we have. People fought and died for it. Never let anyone belittle it”.

Agreed. The disgrace is the other parties standing aside in an election to allow Farage a free ride. Only BinFace, as pathetic as it is, has taken the a stand against him.

I get the 1st past the post count will lead to a Farage victory but a simple unified one-issue campaign slogan from the other parties - "Farage Is Using You For His Own Private £5m Crypto Wealth and You Will Not See One Bit* of It" , would at least keep the media and political pressure up on the very issue he is trying to bury.

Unfortunately they have all bottled it and allowing Farage to belittle the vote.

*See what I did there?

 

[Leo]

The disgrace is the other parties standing aside in an election to allow Farage a free ride.

Isn't it the opposite really? They are boycotting as a means of protesting, and to deny him what he really wants which is to deflect attention away from any scandal involving him.