The last of the rather warm white wine has been drunk, the final, slightly faded canapés eaten, the exhibitors have packed up their stands and politicians, activists and journalists have got on the trains (if there are any) back to London. The Party conference season ends for another year and, quite possibly, for this Parliament. We are now into what may well be a 12-month long election season.

On the main stages, the hyperbole count went through the roof, with both main parties trying to outbid each other as the champions of change – not easy if you have already been in Government for a while, but not impossible – and the now familiar bidding wars on who will recruit more police officers, build more prison places, etc.