Why candidates dress up and run in major UK elections
Key takeaways
- Rob Pownall spends most of his time running his advocacy organisation Protect the Wild, which advocates for British wildlife, but in recent weeks he ran for the Makerfield seat dressed as a fox.
- "I think it was a brilliant display of British democracy in action," Pownall told the BBC, as he sees people running in costumes as a a part of Britain's "unique eccentric energy".
- His motivation was to "shine a light on issues that don't get the headlines" and as he shook Burnham's hand, Pownall took the opportunity to speak about his advocacy to better protect British wildlife.
Why this matters: a developing story that could shape the day's news cycle.
Olivia Ireland EPACostumed candidates at UK elections are a longstanding tradition Andy Burnham - a man who hopes to be the next prime minister - stood shoulder-to-shoulder with a man in a fox costume and an "intergalactic space warrior" with a bin for a face when he was announced as the winner of the Makerfield by-election.
These costumed characters barely registered as unusual for members of the public and supporters, as Count Binface, the fox and another, Howling Laud Hope, all shook hands with Labour's Burnham before he gave his victory speech.
Eccentric scenes like this are a common sight over the years in British politics, and candidates are often motivated to run for a variety of different reasons, but their satirical stances often give more serious messages a moment of attention - and can even influence future laws.