• Apepollo11
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    3 months ago

    Novelty candidates are a highlight of UK politics - practically every high profile election has some.

    The brilliant thing is that they’re treated as seriously as the main party candidates by the election machinery - they appear on politics programmes and appear onstage stood next to the career politicians on count day.

    H’Angus the Monkey, the Hartlepool FC football mascot, even got elected as mayor of Hartlepool a few years back.

    There’s an entire novelty party, The Monster Raving Looney Party, which has been going strong since the 80s, and fields candidates across the country.

    • PapaStevesy
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      3 months ago

      Don’t forget Tarquin Fin-Tim-Lin-Bin-Whin-Bim-Lim-Bus-stop-F’tang-F’tang-Olé-Biscuitbarrel from the Silly Party, that was even earlier!

    • Machinist
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      3 months ago

      I could search this, and probably should. Is the The Monster Raving Looney Party a real thing?

      That’s like so fucking English.

      • Apepollo11
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        3 months ago

        Totally real. They’re actually looking for suggestions right now for their new manifesto on Twitter, if you use it (search for #manicfesto - note the “c” in there).

        Here’s the Wikipedia entry: Official Monster Raving Loony Party