It’s easy to sometimes manipulate figures to suit a particular narrative. Commentators do it (Mea culpa).

Modern leaders of political parties must look back in envy at the longevity of their predecessors. Leaders were rarely purged. Some took the tumble after one election too many. Others jumped ship in order to protect or salvage their reputations. Some simply headed off to write their own histories.

There’s nothing particularly insightful to be gained from measuring the longevity of political leadership or correlating it to the fortunes of their respective organisations. Across the island of Ireland, all parties, north and south, have watched leaders come and go. Some with relief, others to applause.

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In Northern Ireland, the Ulster Unionists are in a league of their own when it comes to changing leaders with no fewer than 10 post holders since 1970. The........

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