The victims of politics were once merely confined to the likes of you and I – ordinary voters who had their lives maimed and afflicted by the malevolence and idiocy of those in power.

But, as inevitably befalls any dangerous or lethal entity, politics has taken to devouring itself. Eventually, a virus that’s too successful begins dying out as it has destroyed everything it could use as a host; predators too efficient at killing one day discover their food supply exhausted. Today, politicians appear to have nobody left to harm but themselves. They’ve inflicted every conceivable – and often inconceivable – wound possible on the electorate. So it seems all that’s left is to start chewing off their own limbs.

Politicians now burn themselves up at frightening speed. Keir Starmer is the perfect example. No sooner in power, he began offending and disgusting everyone who had even considered voting for him. Starmer finished Starmer.

Andy Burnham seems intent on following him – betraying every promise with the same alacrity as his predecessor. If Burnham hopes that a guitar and some "cool dad" vibes will save him, he’s sorely mistaken. It will simply delay his final act of self-immolation.

The Tories chose death by leader – electing a run of Prime Ministers who treated the party the way Sweeney Todd treated his customers.

Read more by Neil Mackay

SNP uproar as members claim Swinney doesn’t care about independence

This country needs to create its own versions of Facebook and Twitter

Dry your eyes, Stephen Flynn - why shouldn’t the media scrutinise SNP spending?

Reform delights in such performative cruelty that its base will........

© Herald Scotland