One of the most obvious, and potentially lasting, impacts of the Brexit vote on British politics has been the way in which it shifted old political allegiances, writes London Correspondent Fiona Mitchell.
Instead of identifying as Conservative or Labour, it’s far more likely that people categorise themselves now as Remain or Leave.
It is the fissure which runs through the British body politic. Next month will be an interesting litmus test of just how those changes have taken root. This weekend the new leader of UKIP, Paul Nuttall announced he will run for a Commons seat in a by-election in Stoke.
He knows it’s his best chance of getting a second UKIP MP into the Commons, and, handily, banishing the shadow of his predecessor as leader, Nigel Farage along the way. Not so long ago it would have been thought laughable.
Stoke was the safest of Labour safe seats, returning a Labour candidate uninterrupted since 1950. But at the last election Labour held on by a majority of just 5,500. UKIP came second, closely followed by the Conservatives.
The by-election comes about because the current MP, Labour’s Tristram Hunt stood down in recent weeks to take up a post as head of London’s prestigious Victoria and Albert Museum.
Once considered a potential Labour Party leader himself, Mr Hunt has been critical of about Leader Jeremy Corbyn.
When he did announce he was standing down though, Mr Hunt chose to be very magnanimous in his approach to the party leader, wishing him well and saying it was not his plan ’to rock the boat’.
It seems that Mr Hunt may have developed the view of many of Mr Corbyn’s detractors within the party.
Mr Corbyn’s most recent leadership win has convinced many of the MPs who don’t support him that instead of using their energy opposing him, they must simply allow him to get on with the job and see what happens.
If he fails, he fails, but then he will have failed on his own terms and not because of party infighting.
This by-election will be a serious test for Mr Corbyn. If the Labour candidate does not win, serious questions will be asked of a leader who loses a seat which the party held for over 60 years.
Already, even the most loyal of Jeremy Corbyn supporters are talking of a leadership timeline…maybe one year, maybe two…but there is a growing sense that Mr Corbyn must turn things around or he may yet face a third leadership contest.
And of course, Stoke presents an interesting opportunity for UKIP. As the new party leader, Mr Nuttall must try and banish the ghost of Mr Farage.
The political force of nature that is Mr Farage means that he has become synonymous with UKIP.
The challenge to anyone coming after him was always going to be how to make their individual mark. It has not been helped by some frankly bizarre antics in recent months which have taken UKIP from riding the crest of a Brexit wave to a political laughing stock.
One leader, Diane James, left her post after just 18 days. Another leadership candidate was found sprawled out on a floor in the European Parliament building in Strasbourg following an ‘altercation’.
By any political standard, a difficult few months.
As Mr Nuttall looks to put his stamp on the party, a seat in the House of Commons would show him capable of doing what Mr Farage couldn’t.
Add to that the fact that Stoke-on-Trent recorded the highest proportion of people who voted to leave the EU, and you can see why Mr Nuttall thinks this might just be his time.
Next month, he’ll know.
Comments wlecome via Twitter to @mitchelfi
