So there was a by-election.

There isn't much I would say about the Oldham West by-election. In 2001, 6552 voted for the BNP's Nick Griffin. Today, 6487 voted for Ukip.

It looks to me like Ukip has hit that glass ceiling. Not only has the immigration gamble failed to grow the base in any meaningful sense, it hasn't dented Labour at all even as Labour is in full civil war. It has parked Ukip firmly in the BNP slot with nowhere for it to go.

There is broad spectrum agreement now that Ukip has stalled and has nothing left to do now except quietly die.

This is a cause for some celebration among a great many anti-kippers and Tories. I just think it's sad. Had Ukip played it's hand well it could have been a major new force in politics - and a welcome one. Instead, against all the best advice, Farage threw caution to the wind and set course for the rocks.

It is now tarnished in such a way that it cannot recover. All that time and effort wasted. All those hopes dashed. All because of one man and his arrogance.

I suppose that should be a warning of sorts to Arron Banks. One bad turn and Brexit is buried. A movement tied to Ukip is one that has shackled itself to a concrete block and jumped into the harbour for a long sleep with the fishes.