That would be the 'normal' outcome - it there are enough Lib-Dems around. Currently, there are only 15 of them (less than the SNP) and I don't see that changing, for the simple reason that one of their main campaign planks is rejoining the EU. The SNP are likelier to support Labour, especially if they get promised another referendum (one they probably won't win, far too many folk in Scotland are aware that their 'country' couldn't survive without the massive annual injection of English taxpayers' money).
What concerns me is if the election isn't a 'normal' one. Galloway is suggesting that his Workers' Party could field up to a hundred candidates, likely in the North and Midlands. Tice and Reform UK might well be able to conjure up similar numbers, but mostly in the Home Counties and South-West.
Now I grew up in the North and have lived for many years in the Midlands. Galloways' post-modern mix of economic socialism and social conservatism, his stand on immigration and foreign wars, will resonate with a lot of people in both regions, while his pro-Palestinian stance will engage younger folk and a lot of minorities. He could carve away large chunks of the Labour vote, if not actual seats, from Labour. Enough to allow a Tory, Lib-Dem or Green candidate to squeak through.
On the other end of the spectrum, you have Tice, both economically and socially to the right of the Tories, except in the matter of the energy companies. And even there, his plan to create a state-owned energy company and sell the rest off to British pensions funds will appeal to many. Of course, his policy to stop immigration virtually completely will be popular as well as populist. Also his plans to issue more North Sea drilling licences, restart large-scale coal mining, expand lithium mining and allow fracking all have that comforting Tory undertone of "Make those lazy bastards up North work so we can get richer." to them. Again, he could steal enough Tory voters so that, if he doesn't win outright, he could let one of the other guys slip through.
It all depends on how fed-up people really are with the Tories and Labour, and whether it's enough to overcome the neophobia and tribalism that drives so many voters.
All that said, while Reform UK, built as it is on the old UKIP structure, has a good chance of putting up candidates in most seats, there has to be a lot of doubt about the Workers' Party. Galloways' chances of hanging onto his own seat in a General Election are limited, and there must be doubts about his party being able to stand in more than a handful. Personally, I'd prefer to see TUSC get their shit together and become an actual party. Unfortunately Nellist is an idiot, and a naive one at that. If either he or Galloway could get Corbyn aboard....
Still, we can only hope that Reform UK steal enough Tory votes to completely cripple them!
