The conference sideshows are over and Brexit is back, centre stage.

The weirdest party conference season I can remember is finally over.

First we had the Lib Dems, who were very pleased with themselves following a few defections of former Labour and Tory MPs.

Then there was Labour, who weren't very pleased with themselves at all, to the extent there were moves to oust the deputy leader Tom Watson.

The Tories were all about Brexit and the SNP were all about independence.

There is a serious point underlying party conferences - they are the annual general meetings where members can question office bearers and party bosses about finances and organisational decisions.

Some still debate policies and party direction, sometimes the party leadership even takes that in to account; but they are increasingly party rallies for the faithful and opportunities to make money from companies and other organisations who want access to influential politicians through fringe meetings and exhibition stalls, paying thousands of pounds for the opportunity.

But this year, party conferences mattered less than ever, overshadowed by Brexit and everything that went with it.

Labour's conference was cut short when the Supreme Court ruled that the House of Commons was no longer prorogued. All their MPs rushed back from Brighton to Westminster relieved to be rid of the party infighting and return to the fighting in parliament.

The Tories' meeting in Manchester went ahead, with ministers being forced to return to London for Commons business.

And the SNP gathering in Aberdeen was overshadowed by the Queen's Speech.

Less than 24 hours after the last leader's speech, politics has moved on. All eyes are on Brussels, on the Brexit negotiations and the prospect of a deal ahead of tomorrow's summit of EU leaders.

This is the latest Brexit crunch, with just over a fortnight to the Halloween deadline, and the prospect of the first Commons sitting on a Saturday since the Falklands War.

Conference season is over, it's back to Brexit on the brink, and what Sir Alex Ferguson would call "squeaky bum time".