On Friday, I boarded a train for Manchester to join the other hundred or so volunteers who were rolling up that day to the Makerfield by-election in support of Reform.
Coaches were turning up daily, and on arrival I was hailed by someone from Plymouth, while others had come from the Midlands, London and the Home Counties.
Party officials were briefing arrivals in groups of fifty.
It was, quite simply, the most impressive turnout of activists I have ever seen in a by-election, and that includes my time in the glory years of the Conservative Party.
I spent my Friday canvassing, and by Saturday, I was roaring at the electorate from the campaign bus, later stopping to greet voters.
Both the frequency of their posters and the replies to the canvass indicated that the race was close between Labour and Reform, with Labour possibly having the edge but not by much.
That, of course, prompted a great deal of speculation about the role of Restore.
Most opinion polls put their support at around eight per cent, but that was not borne out by my own canvass.
Rupert Lowe was out campaigning in Makerfield over the weekend
|GETTY
I would have said it was around five per cent and crucially, it was flaky.
I engaged in lengthy conversations on two separate occasions with Restore enthusiasts, both of whom recognised that they were effectively voting Labour and claimed they would “probably” vote Reform on the day itself.
It speaks volumes that in a situation where the Government has rarely been so unpopular, His Majesty’s official Opposition was simply nowhere, trailing behind even Restore.
It is proof, if proof were still needed, that Reform has effectively assumed the mantle of opposition and replaced the Tories.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
- The Iran deal isn't perfect but PM's abdication left UK-US relationship on life support – Lee Cohen
- Social media is 'like digital crack cocaine' but hasty reactions put kids in danger – Nigel Nelson
- Social media ban doesn't curb free speech but PM must act now to protect children from months of avoidable harm
Restore is a pretty unpleasant party.
Rupert Lowe has consistently refused to censor his members when they have been exposed as variously Nazi sympathisers or holding extreme views, stating always that Restore does not police its membership.
In that respect, they help Reform in that Lowe has created a space for extremists and Reform is less likely to attract them, which is always a danger when taking a clear and unambiguous position.
Strangely, the public did not appear to be in the last stages of election fatigue, despite the relentless campaigning, heap of literature on its doormats and the ringing of doorbells until after supper.
Yes, a few people said they did not care and were fed up with it all, but far fewer than I am used to encountering.
It was as if Makerfield knew it was making political history and was not only quite proud of that but was also just as intrigued to see the result as the rest of us.
If I were the campaign strategist, I would be targeting a leaflet through the door of every single voter declaring for Restore.
Whether Mr Lowe has five per cent, eight per cent or even more, it is a vote for Labour.
It's a vote against control of immigration.
It's a vote against giving priority to defence, lower taxes and a country fit for workers, not shirkers.
It is also a vote for another prolonged period of chaos, as the first thing Burnham would do is instigate a leadership election.
Does Britain really deserve that?