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Ginchiyo Tachibana
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Apr 30, 2010
Orange superhero in UK poll
Beany - born Barry Kirk, 55 years old and a former computer operator - is a man-sized baked bean: the tinned haricot beans in tomato sauce beloved by Britons and reputed to induce wind. He is standing in his home constituency of Aberavon - 'the posh name for Port Talbot,' as he puts it, and a staunch Labour-voting area. -- PHOTO: AFP
PORT TALBOT (Wales) - CAPTAIN Beany, a lurid orange baked bean superhero, hopes to blow a wind of change through parliament at Britain's imminent general election. The reigning Greatest British Eccentric, who zooms about in a cape and x-ray laser specs, reckons voters are sick of politicians - and need a flatulent superhero to sort them out. Beany - born Barry Kirk, 55 years old and a former computer operator - is a man-sized baked bean: the tinned haricot beans in tomato sauce beloved by Britons and reputed to induce wind. He is standing in his home constituency of Aberavon - 'the posh name for Port Talbot,' as he puts it, and a staunch Labour-voting area.
The struggling steelworks town on the south Wales coast, home of actors Richard Burton and Anthony Hopkins, was brought to life in style as the zany local celebrity launched his bid to become the town's MP. 'The wind of change is coming, I can smell it in the air!' he told AFP at his campaign headquarters - the Red Lion pub. 'You can sense the election fever, you can feel it in your bean sauce! 'The politicians are full of hot air. It's about time we had somebody a bit different to inject some input and see if they can make a difference.'
His New Millennium Bean Party's 'beanyfesto' policies include making all tattoos bilingual in English and Welsh, filling potholes with chewing gum scraped off pavements and printing faces of corrupt officials on toilet paper. But he also has serious points: imposing a flat 25 per cent income tax rate, referendums on wars such as Afghanistan, class sizes limited to 20, and expanding nuclear power. Mostly though, it is about having fun. Such is the disillusion and fury with lawmakers over the recent expenses scandal, Captain Beany reckons now is the moment for a superhero to step forward. 'That's what superheroes are for, to fight for good against evil. Let's inject some colour and a sense of humour,' he said. -- AFP
