The pending party conference season is likely to be a savage one, with a summer of simmering discount in the major parties and an anger among the Lib Dems about their disappearance from political debate. Northern Ireland is regressing to the politics of past hatreds. Even the normal hegemonic SNP is not immune, with major ructions between past and present leaders. Expect some angry scenes on the conference floor.

It is a peculiar aspect of British politics that such behaviour bypasses local politics. Our politics focus exclusively on members and MPs, in contrast to other countries.