Given the bitter internecine disputes and non-resignations that have dominated the party of late, it's easy to forget that UKIP won an election less than two years ago. With just over four million votes the party stormed home (or perhaps to the nearest pub) in the last European elections.

That achievement didn't lead to General Election success, but it does serve as a useful reminder that a combination of ‘events, dear boy' and low turnouts can throw up non-traditional results.