JUST when you think politics can’t get any more bizarre, up comes a new idea on how to save politicians from themselves.

They should get themselves a new branding, say award-winning creative director Radim Malinic and Professor Phil Cleaver who consulted on a new project to rebrand five major political parties, along with the newly formed Independent Group. The political rebranding exercise is led by Solopress who presumably think they will get some orders for print material. To be fair Radim Malinic has a point: “The UK political parties’ design systems seem too disjointed, inconsistent and lacking the full impact they could have.”

Or else the majority of them have their heads stuck in the Brexit quicksand and can’t see the way ahead – a remark that mighty apply to the SNP on indyref2, it should be said.

Simon Cooper, managing director of Solopress, said: “The current state of British politics inspired us to imagine how political parties could connect better with voters. Branding is so important to other big businesses and why should it be any different for political parties?”

Leave it to the academic to state the bleedin’ obvious. Middlesex University Professor Cleaver said: “In a crowded marketplace of brands, people place high value on perceived authenticity. Aligning your political message to appropriate visual communication helps to strengthen the credibility of your claims. Which, in turn, can hopefully lead to the trust of your voters.”

Or not, as the case might be. As to Solopress’s suggested new brands, the SNP would have to rip up several million posters and leaflets to replace their yellow and black colours with blue and white – and didn’t the researchers know the Yoons always accused the SNP of hijacking the saltire?

As for the Tories and Labour’s new suggested brands, all the rebranding in all the world won’t cast a fig leaf over the truth that both parties are in very big trouble, not because their logos and slogans are rubbish but because their policies and leaders are dire.

So, here’s our suggestion for a new branding for Labour: a pound of mince past its sell-by date. As for the Tories? How about a chicken having its neck wrung with an orange sash. Oh, and both of them covered in red, white and blue flags to emphasise their roots in a Union that Scotland no longer wants or needs.