‘No bigger pantomime than Westminster’: Dame Belladonna earns more votes than UKIP rival

The UK general election is typically fraught with pageantry and controversy, but one candidate, a pantomime dame in Exeter, combined both by beating his UKIP rivals in unique style.

Despite admitting that his candidacy was merely a publicity stunt to promote his performance as Dame Belladonna in a local pantomime performance of Snow White, Daniel Page, 44, received more votes than the city’s UKIP representative.

“Just when it looked like Christmas would be ruined by those notorious Scrooges in the House of Commons, Dame Belladone [sic] of Snow White has arrived to save Christmas,” Page said.

“It is a bit of a publicity stunt. It is a Christmas election and we thought it would be a fun idea to put ourselves out there and get some promotion, as there is no bigger pantomime than Westminster.”

Despite being a refreshingly transparent candidate, admitting their politicking, Page still managed to earn 306 votes compared with the UKIP candidate’s 259.

Page could be seen mincing about the polling station in an extravagant white-feathered ballroom gown, with heavy makeup and flanked by supporters in inflatable hippo and dinosaur costumes. 

It is important to note that during his victory speech, a triumphant Prime Minister Boris Johnson was flanked by one rival wearing a giant Elmo Costume and the other who goes by the name Lord Buckethead, so Exeter’s excesses were, surprisingly, not the most outlandish scenes during this vote.

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