The Know Daily - Wednesday 15 July 2026

_{Read in 4m 12s ∙ Listening to Mamma Mia! ∙}

Swimming in the Seine is back on the cards this summer, as on Saturday Paris opened three supervised bathing sites for the second year in a row. It all comes after a multibillion-euro cleanup of the river… and we just know that Donna and Harry would have loved to have seen it! (IYKYK).

🗳️ The Clacton by-election

A seaside constituency has become one of the more unusual political moments of the summer – mixing a serious test for Reform UK with a satirical campaign from Count Binface.

A bit of background.
The by-election was triggered after Reform UK leader Nigel Farage stepped down as Clacton’s MP. Farage’s decision came after scrutiny over his finances and parliamentary declarations, triggered by an investigation by the Sunday Times. He has said the election gives him the chance to return to voters and seek a fresh mandate.

Why is everyone talking about it?
The contest has attracted attention because of its unusual mix of candidates. Count Binface has become one of the most recognisable names on the ballot paper, particularly after all major parties refused to stand in what they consider to be a “fake” election where they knew they couldn’t win against Farage. But, as reported by The Independent, the joke candidate is proving more popular than expected, with a recent poll showing 33% of British adults would prefer Count Binface to win the race.

But… who is he?
Count Binface is the political alter ego of comedian Jon Harvey, who has stood in several elections with deliberately playful policies and a focus on satire. So far he has pledged to abolish VAR in football and “nationalise Adele”. He previously contested in elections with Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. 

So why is Clacton important?
Behind the jokes, the by-election is still a test of Reform UK’s position in British politics. As The Guardian reports, voters’ views in the constituency “range from adulation to scepticism to outright cynicism” over Farage’s strong voice. The contest also reflects a wider shift towards smaller parties, independents and protest candidates – with even a satirical campaign like Count Binface’s showing how unconventional voices can capture attention in modern politics.

Elsewhere in UK politics…
The Clacton contest comes during a period of major change at Westminster. Andy Burnham has secured the Labour leadership with landslide support from 349 MPs and is expected to enter Downing Street on 20 July, becoming Britain’s seventh prime minister in 10 years. After almost a decade away from Westminster, Burnham is expected to put regional investment, devolution and a bigger role for the state at the centre of his early agenda.

🌿 A new plan to protect 30% of England’s land for nature by 2030 has been set out by the government, backed by fresh funding and a new approach to restoring wildlife.

• The bigger story: The 30by30 plan aims to meet an international target agreed by more than 190 countries to protect nature and tackle climate change. The government says around 32% of England’s land already meets, or could meet, the criteria, with nearly £40m being invested to help National Parks, protected landscapes and local projects expand nature recovery work. The announcement comes after a series of heatwaves, with ministers saying protecting nature will also help communities adapt to a changing climate. 

💰 The BBC’s top earners have been revealed through the corporation’s annual list of highest-paid stars. 

📱 The iPhone Photography Awards winners have been announced, following thousands of entries from over 140 countries.  

🦖 The most expensive dinosaur – a.k.a. Gus – ever sold made $50.1m at auction in New York yesterday. 

✨ Astronomers have discovered four new white dwarf stars that are within 65 light years of Earth (apparently that counts as “local”!). 

💎 South Africa’s biggest diamond mine has shut after De Beers decided to halt production. The move comes as price and demand for the precious stones continues to fall. 

🎤 24.7 million “music tourists” came to the UK last year – up 4.8% on 2024 – thanks to big name concerts like the Oasis reunion and Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter World Tour.

⭐ Donate to The Know. Only 0.9% of our readers donate (we see you and we love you 🥹). So if you have a couple of pounds to spare and want to ensure we keep bringing you thoughtful and informative news every day, we’d be so grateful.

⭐ Get clicking - this tells our partners that readers are interested in The Know. Let’s get started with this one!

⭐ Add us to your contacts or primary inbox - this makes sure we reach your inbox (and everyone else’s) each morning.

The Know is on a mission to help everyone start their day feeling informed and hopeful. We only recommend things we genuinely love but sometimes we make money from the links and content we share. This directly supports keeping our journalism free for all.

Trivia answer: C) Madonna’s album Confessions II debuted at the top of Billboard’s 200 albums chart, adding to her growing list of number ones.

How did you find today’s email?
😍 Loved it! | 😕 Could be better…

Need fewer emails? Click here to hear from us once a week.