There are two things that have never happened in UK politics. The prime minister has never complained about a “shellacking” after losing an election and a candidate has never started a political ad with the words “I am not a witch”.

A "shellacking" was how President Obama described the US mid-term elections, which resulted in the Republicans taking control of the House of Representatives. However, the Democrats managed to maintain a majority in the Senate thanks to candidates such as Christine O'Donnell winning the Republican primaries.