The five of us in our field party arrived with our sleep kits and personal gear several days after the last cargo flight, because of the weather delays from high winds in the previous week.

There are signs that the new party aims to field candidates in elections scheduled for February next year.

Academic Macolm Gladwell, whose books have become required reading within the Conservative Party, says you need to put in this time over a decade to get to the top of your chosen field.