DURING this general election campaign, I’ve been lucky to travel across the country — from Luton to Leeds, Blackburn to Bedlington — knocking on doors for excellent socialist Labour candidates.

But less than a week before polling day, it looks like “the only way is Clacton” — to coin a phrase — with the Essex seaside town now on the front line in the fight against the far right.

Nationally, the Tory vote continues to crater, haemorrhaging both to Reform and “abstain,” with some support shifting directly to Labour, which seems to be steadily winning over the “don’t knows” — meaning most sitting Labour MPs are likely to be re-elected amid a predicted landslide.