Dan Hodges

Something had gone structurally wrong with Britain.

We are a state which has turned against its people.

All three parties of the right are realizing that they're not dealing with a series of separate problems.

You're dealing with a single central issue, which is that the British state has stopped working.

We are genuinely, I think,

at a moment, I would argue, of a national crisis which is comparable only to the First and Second World Wars.

There has to be a reunion of the right, and that the only basis for that reunion is policy.

But they're fighting each other.

And... I despair.

If Britain survives, why did you say that?

Because I think it is possible that it won't.

Well, I think there are a number of things.

I mean, Andy Burnham won the by-election because he was Andy Burnham, not because he was Andy Burnham, the Labour candidate.

I mean, as you said, I spent the best part of a month up there.

And if you like, the Burnham effect was real.

Roughly half of the people in the constituency seemed to know Andy Burnham personally, and the other half thought they knew him personally.

And it was noticeable yesterday, just sort of being outside polling stations,

I had people saying to me, I voted Reform.

I had some people saying I voted Restore.

And then I had people saying I voted for Andy.