It may seem churlish to begin consideration of the spectacular Tory election victory in Washington but it seems unavoidable.

The media were on full alert. Boris Johnson, The Wizard of Brexit, was to address what was described as a fringe event at the annual Tory conference in Birmingham.

Theresa May's keynote speech to the Conservative Party conference in Manchester has been interrupted by comedian Lee Nelson, who handed her a sheet of paper marked P45.