At Large with Toby Manhire

Where is NZ’s Count Binface, with Ben Uffindell

Toby Manhire speaks to Ben Uffindell, founder of The Civilian, about the role of silly and satirical parties in democracy.

30 Jul 2026

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Nigel Farage faces a stern challenge in a Clacton byelection from an alien space warrior with a bin on his head and a manifesto packed with nonsense. New Zealand has its own history of joke political parties (most famously the McGillicuddy Serious Party) but the satirical larder looks bare today. Ben Uffindell, who led the Civilian Party to admirable failure in 2014, joins Toby to talk about the role of silly and satirical parties in democracy, where he went wrong, where he went right, and whether a return is on the cards in 2026.
Plus: In praise of cinema splendour at the Civic at film festival time in Auckland.
At Large with Toby Manhire is produced by Te Aihe Butler, Jin Fellet and The Spinoff. Read more at ⁠thespinoff.co.nz⁠.