The rise of the anyone-but-Labour-or-Conservative vote is turning the UK into a six-party state, writes James Reed in today’s Notebook

Traditionally, what were our two main parties – Labour and the Tories – have commanded between them around 80 per cent of the vote.

As recently as 2019, the Tory vote stood at 44 per cent, the party’s highest share since 1979, when Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister.

In his pomp in 1997, Tony Blair won over 43 per cent of the vote.

But today, both parties are having to contend with the rise of what’s being called the ‘ABLOC’ voter – meaning they’ll vote anyone but Labour or Conservative.

According to one latest poll that put Reform in the lead and the Tories in fourth place behind the Liberal Democrats, Labour is on 22 per cent and the Tories 16 per cent – a combined vote share of less than half of what we are used to seeing.

By any measure, this is a dramatic collapse for our leading political brands and a massive opportunity for the challengers. Reform is doing massive damage to both the Tories and Labour. Whether it can........

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