LenaJun 3, 2025

They're great at making us look very cool

https://gregtech.eu/post/13424252

Show threadGinny [they/she]

Non-UK people should read up about Laurence Fox if they want a good laugh.

Some career highlights:

  • Destroyed his acting career and his marriage by being an upper class right wing shit.
  • Destroyed his subsequent gig as a right wing pundit on GB News by being too misogynist on air.
  • Called some drag queens paedophiles after they called him racist. He was sued for defamation and he countersued. He lost on both counts.
  • Stood for election as an MP and lost his deposit.
  • Stood for election as London Mayor and lost his deposit.
  • Tried to stand for election as London Mayor a second time and didn’t get on the ballot because he didn’t fill in the paperwork correctly
  • Stood for election to the London Assembly and lost his deposit.
Laurence Fox - Wikipedia

Jun 3, 2025 at 10:23pmWeb
Show threadApepollo11Jun 3, 2025
To be fair to him, on his first run at London Mayer, he did get nearly twice as many votes as Count Binface, a candidate who claims to be from space and wears a dustbin on his head.
Show threadkautauJun 3, 2025
That’s unfortunate, I would have voted binface
Show threadgrueJun 3, 2025
Not sure about Count Binface since I don’t really follow UK politics, but if he’s anything like Vermin Supreme his platform is likely both preferable to and more realistic than the mainstream conservative party candidates’ plans.
Show threadnik9000Jun 4, 2025
Show thread🇰 🌀 🇱 🇦 🇳 🇦 🇰 🇮 Jun 3, 2025
Oh so you guys have your own variant of Vermin Supreme?
Show threadApepollo11Jun 4, 2025

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 during the results readings.

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.

Show threadPapaStevesyJun 4, 2025
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!
Show threadMachinistJun 4, 2025

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

That’s like so fucking English.

Show threadApepollo11Jun 5, 2025

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

Official Monster Raving Loony Party - Wikipedia

Show threadDon_alFornoJun 4, 2025
Is he related to Lord Buckethead?
Show threadcashJun 4, 2025
Same guy. So yes.
Show threadayyyJun 3, 2025
What does “lost his deposit” mean in the context of UK elections? Do you only get your money back if you win? Is there some decorum standard he violated or something?
Show threadohulancutashJun 4, 2025
You lose your £500 deposit if you win 5% or less of the valid votes cast in the constituency. It’s to discourage no-hopers from taking part.
Show threadKrudlerJun 4, 2025
“no hopers” is going into excessive rotation for me now
Show threadohulancutashJun 4, 2025
Not his money though. He’s bankrolled by noted Steam train owner Jeremy Hosking, who provides Fox with a central London office, secretary, company car and very large expense budget, expecting no return on investment at all, just to spread hate.
Show threadMeron35Jun 4, 2025
What’s the opposite of career highlights? Career lowlights?
Show threadGinny [they/she]Jun 4, 2025
I imagine so, but I also imagine that whether or not they are highlights or lowlights depends on your frame of reference.
Show threadAlmaccaJun 4, 2025
Let’s just call them ‘notable events’.