Nigel Farage is the clear favourite, but Count Binface is attracting serious support in a by-election featuring a record 34 candidates, including an Australian software engineer and three "Loonies".

Hard-right UK politician Nigel Farage will be fighting for his parliamentary seat Thursday, going head-to-head with parody candidate Count Binface in snap polls.

British politics has a long-cherished reputation for attracting the weird and wonderful.