The best joke candidates in political history

After comedian Al Murray announced he will be standing against Ukip leader Nigel Farage in the guise of his pub landlord character, we took a look at some of history's best joke political candidates...

1. Vermin Supreme

Vermin Love Supreme is an American performance artist and activist known for running in various local, state and national US elections. He is famous for his boot-shaped hat, and policies such as time-travel research, mandatory teeth-brushing and free ponies for all Americans.

Vermin will be making his fifth presidential run in 2016.

2. Boston Curtis the mule

In 1938 Boston Curtis, a large brown mule, stood as a candidate for a Republican precinct seat in Milton, Washington. Surprisingly, he won 51 votes to zero.

3. Pamela Stephenson – Blancmange Throwers Party

In the 1987 general election actress and clinical psychologist Pamela Stephenson ran for the Windsor and Maidenhead seat on behalf of the Blancmange Throwers Party (also known as the I Want to Drop a Blancmange Down Terry Wogan's Y-Fronts Party).

Pamela, who is married to comedian Billy Connolly, dyed her hair pink for the campaign and came sixth with 328 votes.

4. Captain Edward (“Dead Legge”) Legge

Royal Navy officer Captain Edward Legge was returned as Member of Parliament for Portsmouth on 15 December 1747 – 87 days after he had died at sea.

5. Saucisse (Sausage) the Dachshund

In 2001, a rescue sausage-dog aptly named Saucisse (not pictured) was a candidate for Marseille municipal elections, in which he won four per cent of the votes. Although he didn’t achieve political success Saucisse went on to star in Secret Story, the French version of Big Brother.

6. Lord Biro/Bus-pass Elvis

David Bishop ran for several seats – including Oldham East and Brentwood - as a representative of The Church of the Militant Elvis Party.

The party aims to bring down Tesco’s power on the British high street and lower vets fees.

7. Screaming Lord Sutch

“Screaming Lord Sutch”, the founder of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party (OMRLP), holds the record for losing all 40 elections he stood in. The party's choice policies include abolishing Mondays and introducing floating bicycles to ease London’s congestion problems.

Although most of its policies are bizarre and satirical, some of the things featured in OMRLP’s manifestos have actually become law – such as all-day pub openings and passports for pets.

8. Captain Beany

Baked-bean fanatic and fundraiser Barry Kirk changed his name to “Captain Beany” by deed poll in 1991. He established the New Millennium Bean Party in 2000, and ran for the Aberavon constituency in 2010.

Beany’s policies included spraying drink drivers’ cars bright orange and plugging potholes with chewing gum. Although he didn’t win, the Heinz-lover defeated UKIP by more than 60 votes.

More: The pub landlord is going to stand against Nigel Farage

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