Brace yourself!

The next session of Parliament commences on Tuesday. Even before the new government has stated its intentions in the Queen's Speech and bills published, there is febrile political atmosphere. Some Tories are up in arms over the attempted Cameron putsch to take control of the 1922 Committee and there are mutterings over manifesto commitments, dear to the Right of the party, ditched in the coalition negotiations.

So far, the Liberal Democrats have kept any internal tensions under wraps. But tensions exist between the former Liberal wing of the party, as represented by Clegg and the Social Democrat wing as represented by Cable. Will the current show of unity be maintained?

The Labour Party is engaged in another of its bouts of introspection as it spends the summer electing a new leader.

So, all the major parties have internal potentially divisive issues to contend with.

However, the real game is not being played in Westminster but in the capitals of Europe as the euro comes under intense pressure. Will the European political class sort out the shambles, or are we heading towards the disintegration of the euro and, as some are suggesting including Chancellor Merkel, the collapse of the EU? Doubtless there will be much sabre-rattling in the days and weeks ahead but there is a crisis now, which however it is resolved will damage the UK.

How the UK responds to problems in the EU may threaten the coalition government as Cameron is a euro-sceptic whereas Clegg is a europhile. Will the coalition find a response to the European issues which keeps the coalition in business? Are issues in mainland Europe going to redraw our political, social and economic landscape again?