During 2025/2026, Reform UK posed the biggest challenge yet to Britain's post-war two-party system. But what lies behind the party's rise?

During 2025/2026, Reform UK posed the biggest challenge yet to Britain's post-war two-party system. But what lies behind the party's rise? Is it an expression of discontent with the perceived failure of previous governments or the product of an ideological swing to the right?

As part of our 70th Anniversary celebrations, join the Department of Politics and Professor Sir John Curtice as we explore this question using data from the British Social Attitudes survey.

Professor Sir John Curtice (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cx1m7zg01qrt)is one of the UK’s leading political scientists. Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde and Senior Research Fellow at the National Centre for Social Research, Sir John’s first academic post was here at the University of Liverpool, and last year he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the university. Leader of the highly successful broadcasters’ exit poll team at UK general elections, Sir John has been labelled as ‘the man who gets elections right’.

Due to demand, the location of this event has now been changed to Lecture Theatre 4 in the South Campus Teaching Hub.

For further information, please contact: Professor Jon Tonge (jontonge@liverpool.ac.uk)

Description supplied by the event organiser.